The Times They Are A Changin’ is a wonderful way to shake off the winter blahs and awake to the possibilities of a new world. The show is a stirring, reflective, and uplifting look-back at a time when humanity and the world were making big strides forward. Interestingly, it is not so removed from today.
Louise Pitre and W. Joseph Matheson star in this concert that looks back at the 60’s with iconic songs written by Jewish artists, such as Bob Dylan, Carole King, Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, and more. While it may be a trip down memory lane, this is not a montage of the greatest hits. The songs are chosen with great care and give a richer story that moves beyond the usual check list of flower power, Vietnam protests, and Woodstock.
Ms. Pitre and Mr. Matheson perform 24 songs on topics of protest, love, progress, indignation, melancholy, and hope. Some of these tunes may not be very familiar to audiences, such as the work of Phil Ochs. The songs are given context not only with the past but also with the present. The classic “This Land Is Your Land” starts with the refrains we are all familiar with before switching to the original Woody Guthrie lyrics that clamor for justice. This is a surprising and thought-provoking variety of material.
The performances give an added relevance to today’s political and cultural upheaval. Ms. Pitre’s stirring performance of “You Don’t Own Me” becomes a modern feminist declaration of a woman’s agency. It hits a big chord in the age of #MeToo. She also delivers a powerhouse rendition of Laura Nyro’s “Save the Country”, stomping around the stage, raging with determination and hope. Mr. Matheson is a warm and humourous storyteller. He performs the folk songs with tremendous love. Together, they present a complex musical period with passion, insight, and joy. The live band is terrific; they are clearly enjoying the arrangements for this show.
Images of the 60’s are projected, including major events that have happened in Canada in the subsequent decades, including a montage of the struggles and activism of Canada’s First Nations. This provides another element of how the voice of the people never stays quiet.
The soundtracks of an age can be just as timely for today as it was in the past. Songs are stories- we live them everyday- and stories never disappear into silence.
Photo credit: Andrée Lanthier
The Times They Are A Changin‘. Directed by Avery Saltzman. Show continues until March 22, at Segal Centre, 5170 Chemin de la Côte-Ste-Catherine, Montreal. Call the box office 514-739-7944 or go to www.segalcentre.org
