High energy menu spiced with Acadian flavor

5/6/2009

Their act has been characterized as slapstick and vaudeville, and likened to Just for Laughs and Mr Bean, but Chuck and Albert Arsenault eschew the popular labels. The tongue-in-cheek title they prefer for their musical comedy act is 'smoke and mirrors'. Whatever it is that excites the audiences they play for in the UK or North America, it is certainly not the result of deception or sleight of hand. It is based on honest, down-home entertainment with a strong Acadian flavour. On stage they come across as a talented duo, who really enjoy what they do and want others to share their joie de vivre. And that is pretty much how they are off stage, too. The surprising thing is that they ever managed to combine their talents, considering how they first met, 15 years ago. Chuck, who is no relation to Albert, had never been to the Evangeline region in the 23 years he had spent growing up in Montague – never, that is until the day he found himself driving across the Miscouche swamp. “It was like entering another country,” he says. “I remember thinking: 'What kind of people live out this way.” Chuck, who was learning French at the time, was on his way to Evangeline School to stand in temporarily for the music teacher. After pulling into the school car park, he heard a voice he did not recognize. “Hey. Comment ça flippe,” said the stranger, in the traditional Acadian greeting “He seems pretty weird,” thought Chuck, as he hurried into the school. Later he would learn that Albert (the stranger) had just come to school to talk to his girlfriend who taught there. Recalling their encounter, Albert figures there was nothing weird about his friendly approach. “Well, He obviously wasn't a criminal. Criminals don't usually hang around schools, do they?” Chuck and Albert did not really become friends until a few years later, when they became the male half of the group Barachois, which included Albert's cousin Louise and his sister Helene. By then, Chuck, who has Acadian parents, but grew up speaking English, had taken French immersion courses and had become quite proficient in the language. It was the experience of playing together in Barachois, that really helped Chuck to develop a strong feeling for the Acadian culture. When the foursome split up after almost 10 years, it was Chuck and Albert's mutual love of the cultural and musical heritage of Acadie that gave them the opportunity to continue entertaining as a duo. Their approach was modeled on the formula, established by Barachois, of recreating the spirit of the traditional Acadian kitchen (or house) parties, where people sang, danced, clapped, stamped their feet and let their hair down. It was a tradition, says Albert ,which was born out of the need for people to find an escape from the tough existence of their daily lives. “Maybe you'd had a rough day or the harvest was crappy. But you knew that people would be coming over that evening to relax and let off some steam.” Chuck says he was not sure what to expect when he turned up at his first kitchen party.. “Within 5 minutes I had spoons in my hands. 'What do I do with these?' I asked. But I was soon playing along with everyone else and having a great time.” Much of the entertainment created by Chuck and Albert over the last 5 years, has been inspired by the songs and stories Georges Arsenault recorded some years ago, when he realized the impact television was having on the leisure activities of his fellow Acadians. Since the traditional songs were mostly sung a capella, Chuck and Albert have spent some time creating musical arrangements for fiddle, guitar, suitcase drum, spoons, saw and jaw harp. When they are not composing, the duo is on the road. Whether they are playing in a rural or big city locale, the local populace seems to relate to the homey atmosphere found at kitchen parties. The equipment needed for their shows leaves some airport officials scratching their heads in amazement. They travel with 5 big flight-cases holding their instruments, props and wireless equipment. “2 of the cases I can fit in and close the door,” says the slim-built Albert. “It's true,” adds Chuck. “And he actually does that in the show.” In fact, clowning around on stage is an essential ingredient of their performances – along with dressing up and miming. All the patter is done in either French, English or a combination of both languages depending on the audiences. They pride themselves on serving up 'family entertainment', and select material suitable for school children, seniors, conventions or theatres. It is a recipe which seems to be working. The two men do not share the same approach to everything they do, but Chuck says there is one thing they do agree upon. “At the beginning it took us a while to decide whether Chuck & Albert could actually work as a duo. But we've proved that if you approach everything with a good positive energy, the rest will take care of itself.“

Mike England (copyright 2009)