More Snags for MCC

I've already mentioned that I'm less than thrilled with the accessibility and convenience of the Montréal Complètement Cirque festival passport. Clearly there are flaws with this new element of the festival. When I went to pick up a ticket yesterday, once again I was told that three tickets for $100 is a good deal and I should be happy with just that (last year you could see three shows for $30). And then I was told that technically, tickets should only be available 24h in advance. Literally. I would have had to go to La Vitrine at 8pm to pick up a ticket for LEO for the following night. I'm not sure how I would have managed seeing as I was already at a show on the other side of the city at that time. Like I said, flawed.

I know that in the end I will see more than three shows and that the passport will be worth it. But when something is clearly marketed as "Only $100 for all the shows!", and that advertisement is the back cover of the festival program... it leaves me pretty irked when it turns out to be false.

But that's not even what this post is about.

As with last year's festival, L'Olympia is the festival headquarters, with after-parties every evening starting at 9pm. Free for those who wish to attend, it's a great way to meet up with folks from the Montreal circus community and beyond. And seeing as the circus community is scattered all over the place for most of the year, it's really nice to be able to find old friends (often by surprise) all in the same place!

And so, on my way home from Carrousel et Corde à Linge, I decided to swing by and see who was in town. There were heaps of people out front, but no one that I recognized. When I walked in, a surly bouncer stopped me, asked to see my ticket, told me there was no such meeting place, and that I would have to leave.

Seriously, MCC. You need to get your shit together. Getting tickets has been an inconvenient and unpleasant experience, not to mention that ticket prices are pretty high in general, and so far the atmosphere hasn't been too welcoming. You're lucky that the artists in the shows are all quite friendly and personable. At least they're making you look good.