February 16, 2022
Azimut will find its full room from February 28
By: Katy Desrosiers
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With the most recent government announcements, there are only a few shows left to be held at 50% capacity at Azimut diffusion. From February 28, the 345 seats in the Georges-Codling room will be available for use.
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Azimut diffusion welcomes this announcement. “We are very, very happy that there is a form of calendar that will lead us to open 100% with all the services that we can provide when we put on a show”, advances the general manager, Alain Larouche.
He’s also happy to hear that lockdowns seem to be a thing of the past.
“It really feels like it could be for good. It is very encouraging for the medium of the diffusion to have this kind of message there. Maybe you shouldn’t take it at face value, but we feel that the intention is to have leeway and not to make decisions the same way they were made, ” he continues.
With the closing, then the limited capacity of the room at 50% between February 7 and February 28, the January shows and some of February had to be postponed. Others will still be able to stand. In March, Sam Breton’s show, which has been postponed several times, will be able to be held at full capacity. “It’s going to be a great relaunch, with a room probably full. To have 345 people in the room, it’s going to be a great moment,” admits Mr. Larouche.
Even if certain constraints such as wearing a mask and the vaccination passport remain in force, the important thing for the general manager is to continue to offer shows.
“I think viewers will be so happy to come back to the theater and see the artists they love, hear the music they love again. Even the artists, to find their public. […] I think it’s an easy compromise to make,” explains the director.
Larouche says it’s important that theaters stay open for technical workers in the entertainment industry who haven’t been spared.
A major show in summer
As Sylvain Cossette’s shows, scheduled for February 25 and 26, were almost sold out and the hall will not be at full capacity until February 28, the decision was made to postpone them to July 7 and 8.
The fact that this important show takes place during the summer will serve as experience for the presenter.
“There will be excitement downtown with Gib Fest and other events happening. We’ve never done shows like that in the summer at Azimut. Maybe a few on occasion, but no more. It can be an experiment for us to see if there is an interest, a craze to present major shows in the summer,” says Mr. Larouche.
Only entertainment?
Although the director is happy with the outcome to come for the performance halls, he notes that the mission of the cultural milieu is not understood by all the decision-makers.
“It was still a slap in the face when they said the show was just entertainment. This unfortunately confirms that some [décideurs] have less interest than others and see less the place of culture in general as an important vector for a society to evolve positively,” he maintains.
However, he believes that, as in other sectors of society such as health and education, an alarm bell has been sounded in the cultural milieu and that with the pandemic, it has been possible to see its importance and why it should be supported.
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