By Yorg
Having seen The Secret Chord: A Leonard Cohen Experience in its original run, about a years ago. I returned to the Segal Centre for Performing Arts curious to see how the production had evolved. Would the songs still have the same impact? Would the performances bring back memories of the first time around? As it turned out, this was more than a return visit to a familiar show. The new production offered a different perspective on the music of one of Montreal’s most celebrated artists.
Arriving in Montreal just before for the 7:30 p.m. performance was a breeze. The evening was a bit chilly, but the city looked beautiful, making the drive enjoyable. An autumn night in Montreal, with Leonard Cohen’s music waiting at the other end, felt like a pretty good way to spend an evening.
The differences between the original and revised productions were clear. The storytelling had been rewritten, the staging reworked, and the cast changed, giving the show a fresh personality. While Cohen’s music remained at its heart, the theatrical experience felt different enough to make comparisons inevitable.
The current cast featured Divine Brown, Beau Dixon, Andrew Penner, Emily Schultz and Michael Torontow. Brown, Penner and Schultz returned from the earlier production, while Dixon and Torontow added new voices and brought a fresh approach to Cohen’s songs, showing how great songwriting can take on a life beyond its creator. Several vocalists even delivered interpretations that, in my view, surpassed the originals, a considerable compliment given Cohen’s unmistakable voice and close connection to his music. Instead of imitating him, the singers brought their own strengths, emotion and musical character to the material. Familiar songs sounded fresh, and some performances revealed qualities I had not fully appreciated before.
The live band helped bring everything together, supporting the singers with arrangements that allowed the music to breathe. The production moved between Cohen’s tenderness, his sly humour and his darker reflections on love, life and human nature. His songs could be romantic one moment and quietly devastating the next, often with a healthy dose of irony thrown in for good measure.
It is difficult to imagine a Leonard Cohen tribute without the song “Hallelujah.” It has become so familiar that we sometimes forget its power. This time, however, the audience became part of the performance. As many people began singing along, the boundary between stage and auditorium seemed to vanish. There was something particularly enjoyable about watching an audience abandon its role as spectator and join in with the chorus. Nobody needed encouragement to appreciate the moment; people simply sang. For a few minutes, the theatre became a place where strangers were connected by a song they all knew, even if its meaning differed for each of them.
The Secret Chord was well worth revisiting. The retooled storytelling, different staging and changes to the cast gave the production a distinct identity rather than simply repeating the original. Numerous impressive vocal performances brought new life to Cohen’s catalogue, while the audience singalong during “Hallelujah” provided the evening’s standout moment.
I enjoyed the original production, but this return visit offered its own rewards. The singers brought fresh interpretations to familiar material, and hearing the theatre join in “Hallelujah” was worth the trip alone. The Secret Chord: A Leonard Cohen Experience made for a thoroughly enjoyable night celebrating the enduring music and legacy of Leonard Cohen at the magnificent Segal Centre. Don’t miss this wonderful celebration of Leonard Cohen.
FROM OCTOBER 5TH TILL OCTOBER 25TH, 2025
FOR RESERVATIONS / TICKETS: SEGALCENTRE.ORG OR 514-739-7944.
SEGAL CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS
5170 COTE-STE-CATHERINE ROAD
MONTREAL, QC
H3W 1M7, CANADA
METRO: CÔTE-STE-CATHERINE, SNOWDON BUS: 129, 51, 17
