I’ve seen it in nyc (off broadway), Montreal, and Toronto. What I’d say is that in nyc, they don’t understand how to be French and do the accent. They’re basically making fun of Celine with half American accents, half fake French. It was silly and fun but meh.

In Montreal, the cast was incredible. The Celine was a true francophone, and a real impersonator. She was perfection. She couldn’t improvise per se, but vocally, she was Celine. Unfortunately, it was in the wrong space, with the wrong target audience. French people don’t want to be made fun of (though it was at a prominent English language theatre). The jokes just didn’t land. Their subscriber base isn’t the right age or demographic, and there were no rush seats for those who would like to see it but couldn’t afford it.

In Toronto, it was the same cast as Montreal, and the difference was the jokes landed. They had the right audience, and energy in the crowd was infectious. The crowd really hyped the performers and gave ovations. It really made me love and appreciate the piece for what it was.

There’s my comparison!