A dreamlike journey
in movement and music

Hofesh Shechter achieves a significant milestone in the field of stage creation

By Sophie Jama

November 6, 2025

Theatre of Dreams, a landmark work by Hofesh Shechter, offers a deep immersion into the fascinating world of dreams and the subconscious. For 90 minutes, the performance captivates with its raw energy and refined aesthetics, continuously surprising with unexpected sequences.

The performance captivates with its raw energy and refined aesthetics, continuously surprising with unexpected sequences.

Each performance opens the door to a unique experience in which the audience is invited to explore the mysterious space between wakefulness and sleep. Who are we in this inner theatre? What roles do the enigmatic figures encountered in our nights play? What are these puzzling situations that unfold without apparent logic? These questions guide the journey presented on stage.

A living and mysterious stage

The opening reveals a solitary character moving through a stripped-down set, passing through a dark opening that resembles the entrance to a secret cave. This threshold grants access to a constantly changing universe, both welcoming and disorienting.

A troupe of eleven performers, men and women, elegantly dressed but with an unreal touch, animate this collective dreamlike sphere oscillating between presence and disappearance. The subtle play of curtains, alternating partial and full reveals, builds a multifaceted space where bodies emerge, multiply, and intersect, offering a reflection of the mental complexity of a waking dream..

Theatre of Dreams, œuvre emblématique signée par Hofesh Shechter

In this choreography full of contrasts and surprises, the performers deploy movements mixing virtuosity and expressiveness, sometimes in perfect harmony with powerful live music, other times in slight rhythmic dissociation. This gap underscores the dream’s unpredictable, fluid nature.

The diversity of styles borrowed from traditional dances to urban and contemporary movements, including figures from ballroom dancing, enriches the performance. Execution’s rigour combines with a communicative conviviality, where gentle moments, joyful times, and scenes of contagious energy follow one another, leading the audience into an emotional whirlwind.

‘Eleven performers animate this collective dreamlike sphere oscillating between presence and disappearance.’

The lighting, the result of close collaboration between the choreographer and Tom Visser, accompanies each movement with shimmering tones or darker, mysterious hues. The interplay of shadow and light dresses the ever-changing space, contributing to the ethereal atmosphere. Sophisticated costumes add to the distortion of reality, reinforcing the sensation of evolving in a parallel universe composed of symbols and deep emotions.

A deeply engaging work

Theatre of Dreams is not limited to a visual and sound show; it also questions the very nature of consciousness and imagination. The absence of clearly defined characters allows for a collective, sensory exploration of the moods, fears, hopes, and desires that inhabit the human being.

Theatre of Dreams, œuvre emblématique signée par Hofesh Shechter

Conçu en collaboration avec des artistes de renom, ce projet met en avant la complicité entre danseurs et musiciens, créant une communion intense avec le public. Le spectacle invite ainsi chacun à plonger dans son propre univers intérieur tout en partageant une expérience artistique forte et émouvante.

Theatre of Dreams

The production by Hofesh Shechter, supported by a high-level artistic team, is presented at Théâtre Maisonneuve in Montreal until November 8, 2025. This unique event promises an unforgettable moment of wonder and introspection for all live art enthusiasts.

Production: Hofesh Shechter Company
Choreography and music: Hofesh Shechter
Lighting: Tom Visser
Costumes: Osnat Kelner
Associate artistic director: Bruno Guillore
Musical collaborator: Yaron Engler
Scenographic collaborator: Niall Black

Performers: Tristan Carter, Robinson Cassarino, Frédéric Despierre, Rachel Fallon, Cristel de Frankrijker, Mickaël Frappat, Justine Gouache, Zakarius Harry, Alex Haskins, Keanah Faith Simin, Juliette Valerio, Chanel Vyent.

Musicians: Yaron Engler, Sabio Janiak, James Keane.

Images: Tom Visser

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Sophie Jama holds a PhD in anthropology and a master’s degree in comparative literature. She has published several works in Québec and France. For the past 15 years, she has covered Montreal’s cultural scene, including theatre, dance, circus, and other performing arts.