CALEB NICKERSON
FORT COULONGE Feb. 1, 2018
On Feb. 1, folks in Fort Coulonge made their way to the auditorium at École secondaire Sieur de Coulonge for a comedic performance that brought down the house.
Les Grandes Crues, a duo made up of acclaimed Francophone comedians Marie-Lyne Joncas and Ève Côté, took to the stage with wine glasses in hand for some witty banter about life, love and politics. The performance, though intimate, was a hit and the crowd of about 160 were soon clutching their sides.
The evening was put together as a partnership between MRC Pontiac, CHIP FM and Dotoris Hall in Témiscaming.

MRC Pontiac Director of Economic Development Émilie Chazelas explained that the Hall has full-time staff dedicated to programming. Chazelas, along with CHIP FM Station Manager François Carrier worked with their staff to select acts coming to Témiscaming that could add a stop in the Pontiac to their tour.
“They give us a list of artists that we can afford,” she explained. “We work with radio CHIP and they have a pretty good idea of what artist could satisfy the public in the Pontiac.”
The show last Thursday was the first to be put on through this partnership and Les Grandes Crues seem to have been a wise selection.
“They make jokes about their situation and the way they see life,” Chazelas said. “They act as though they are a little bit blonde sometimes, you know, a little bit silly. I think the public liked it because we heard a whole lot of laughing during the show and we had really good comments.”
She added that the next show in the schedule will be on April 12 when country singer Amelie Hall takes to the stage in the school’s auditorium.
“Again, she’s a young artist but she’s done a lot of county festivals all over Quebec and Canada,” she said. “I think she’s going to do a really good show.”
Chazelas concluded by saying that they are looking at about five shows lined up for the 2018/19 winter season.
“It’s a really good opportunity for us. Artists are travelling anyways from Gatineau to Témiscaming, we’re just giving them a stop in the Pontiac,” she said. “It’s also good that if the people of the Pontiac want to see a show they don’t have to go into the city.”