"Political Cabaret" from 50 Years Ago Has Strong Message Today: Et Vian, Dans la gueule! in Montreal

Sometimes a play, movie or book becomes more interesting as you reflect on it. That has occured with Et Vian! Dans la gueule!, a "political caberet" made from the work of Boris Vian, a French poet, novelist and jazz trumpeter. Lee and I saw it last night in a production by the Theatre du Nouveau monde, although apparently it was created 15 years ago.

Vian wrote most of the texts and songs used in the piece during the 1950s, when France was recovering from World War II by going to war to preserve its colonial empire in Vietnam and Algeria. At the center of the revue is a skit in which a group of infantile generals have a sort of play date with the permission of the general-in-chief's Mommy. In it the president of the French Republic (played by a woman) comes in to say that economic conditions require that the country go to war. Military mobilization follows, although it is not until a sort of world summit convenes that an enemy is chosen. Three generals (also played by women) from China, the USSR and the US say they can't offer their services as opponents since China is "too far" and the USSR and US are both "otherwise engaged." But, why not fight in Africa starting off in the French colonies in the north? suggests the Chinese general. Terrific idea, says the American, we'll send a force of our African Americans (only that's not the term used) and they can just stay there.

That much was clear to me last night: Lee had more problems than I did with the rapid-fire French and was much less engaged. As such, we decided that the production seemed almost old-hat, even though anti-war messages should probably be dusted off at least once a generation.

But on reflection, the parallels with our current situation become clearer. One of the most moving bits involved a soldier moving forward who steps on a mine, hears a click which means it is ready to go off, and tries to figure out how not to take the next step which will blow him up. There have been too many Canadian soldiers killed by what are euphemistically called "improvised explosive devices" these days. And why are we in Afghanistan? Why was there an invasion of Iraq? In part because so many elements of society need enemies. As in the revue, almost enemy will do.

Boris Vian (1920-1959) is a cult figure in the Francophone world. Not much of his work has been translated into English, but maybe more should.