The Théâtre du Palais Municipal in La Baie is the home for 6 weeks to the annual "Fabulous History of a Kingdom" put on by over 150 local family members who freely perform a continuing family tradition lasting over 30 years. We quickly understood that the show was composed of some two dozen action tableau of the history of the Saguenay Lac St. Jean Kingdom, from 1603 to the present. It began with over 50 actors moving about, wearing first nation costumes and climbing upward through rock filled terrain. The immensity and logistics of the project was awesome, complex and well executed. As scenes changed we saw the introduction of early explorers, French King's disinterest in Canada, early settlers, logging, trapping, priests and entrepreneurs, world wars, flooding, tourism, music influences and extolling the beauty of the region in many tableaux.
In one scene the French king is advised of the wealth and promise of this new land but he is too involved with fighting the Spanish in Europe to spend time or money on the New Frontiers adventure.
In another scene, six horses fill the stage as they battle each other. Six horses, on stage... and galloping along with another 30 or more actors on foot sword fighting. Another historical tableau was the arrival of the first families of settlers dubbed the 21, les vingt-et-un, whose family names still resound throughout the Saguenay. Forest fires later destroy the community with live flames in many parts of the stage and somewhat scary stage production!
Later the farmer settlers sowed seeds in a dance format and tufts of green plants grew up through the front area of the stage. A large menagerie of farm animals parades across stage including several geese, a cow, a pig along with children aged three or more performed to perfection. An exceptional show that we were lucky to visit on the first night of the 2019 season and performed to a packed theater!
Later the farmer settlers sowed seeds in a dance format and tufts of green plants grew up through the front area of the stage. A large menagerie of farm animals parades across stage including several geese, a cow, a pig along with children aged three or more performed to perfection. An exceptional show that we were lucky to visit on the first night of the 2019 season and performed to a packed theater!
