Conversing with Michel Tremblay | Francization through theater

The Théâtre du Nouveau Monde (TNM) unveiled a short film on Wednesday that documents its project for the francization of newcomers, carried out with the Center CARI Saint-Laurent and the Center Yves-Thériault, around the play Dear Chekhovby Michel Tremblay.

John Siag
The Press

The screening took place at the Center CARI Saint-Laurent in the presence of many participants in the project. Talk to Michel Tremblayexcited to see the result of these six weeks of work… and play.

People of all ages and backgrounds, who first saw the play Dear Chekhov in the spring, who then visited the backstage of the theater and participated in several workshops aimed at putting Tremblay’s language “in their mouths”. “Even if it seems like swallowing the words,” says Thoa, of Vietnamese origin. The group still learned to say the word “pantoute” quite fluently, we are told.

They pushed the audacity by recreating the family table that we find in Tremblay’s play, and by collectively writing new dialogues (a few scenes, in any case), which they finally interpreted (but which we do not not seen in the fifteen-minute documentary).

“Writing a text, repeating it, memorizing it and playing it is an extraordinary way to learn French while promoting creativity and breaking fear,” says Claudia Bilodeau, head of mediation. culture at the TNM, which led the project with Nafila Karatas, of Turkish origin, social integration adviser at the CARI Centre.

Michel Tremblay found the result “exciting”. The participants’ comments (in the documentary and during the unveiling) are enlightening. “In the game, we are all on an equal footing,” said one of them. “You could laugh at yourself, laugh at others. “I felt like a child, it’s through play that you learn when you’re little, right? “I was able to be myself!” » « I discovered another person in me, crazier. “We are not alone in being afraid and we learn how others deal with their fear. »

Learn to discover yourself

In the audience, a little apart, we meet Dala Alrahbi, of Syrian origin, in Quebec for nearly four years. She followed the project with interest – without participating in it. She herself has an acting education from the Institute of Dramatic Arts in Damascus. She has written and directed several films and series.

According to her, this project of integration through theater allows people to “discover themselves better” by “playing a character”. “Theatre is an opportunity to free yourself from yourself,” she says.

Alba Belloso, who arrived here from Venezuela three and a half years ago, agrees.

Claudia Bilodeau summarizes it well in the documentary: “Adults often have to be serious, to look good. There, they can let go of their madness, be themselves, even if ironically they interpret a character. We see people as they really are. In a context where they are less afraid. They have the right to make mistakes, they have the right to laugh. »

Go to the theater

The project has made some people want to go to theatres. Abdul, of Ethiopian origin, even wanted to make some! And Mourad, who left his native Morocco about four years ago, realized that “it’s not that easy to act in a play…”, rejoicing to better understand the “creative process “.

Jacqueline Romano, an Egyptian who has been living in Quebec for years, acted as a “go-between” for the participants. “I’m a theater regular, she says, and all my money goes into culture. I am deeply moved to see the result of the integration of immigrants by [l’entremise] theater. People give up, it creates links, it’s really a great project. »

As for the TNM, does it hope to bring a little diversity to its theater thanks to such projects? “That’s not our goal, replies Claudia Bilodeau, even if we of course hope to give people a taste for coming to the theater. Diversity, we build it a lot with school mornings, because it is very present in schools. Our objective remains to put theater at the service of learning the French language. And to welcome people, through our culture. »