Who am I ?
My name is Philippe-Audrey Larrue-St-Jacques. I grew up in a happy, loving, loyal family that loves to laugh and has always valued curiosity, effort and empathy in addition to placing emancipation, respect and culture at the center of his life. Today, as best I can, I try to be faithful to the environment that shaped me.
Are we free?
I don’t believe we are trapped in Orwellian control, but I’m also not sure I believe in free will. I think that, despite ourselves, our choices are determined by education, the times and the environment in which we evolve. Unless we are in a process of detachment which isolates, imprisons in principles and often ends in bizarre videos… However, I believe that we are lucky to live in a society which encourages personal emancipation and I sincerely think that this is less a sign of decadence than of evolution and gaining confidence in our means.
What do you remember from your education?
That it is the basis of all human experience. Our understanding and our relationship with the world depend on it. It is all the more valuable because it is an exceptional way to rise as an individual. Furthermore, I also remember the fact that it does not need to be brutal or severe to be rigorous and effective. My parents always valued decency, respect and rectitude while showing empathy, kindness and caring, and I do not feel that I received a faulty education. On the contrary !
A thinker/philosopher who has been with you for a long time?
Albert Camus became my absolute role model (except for the adulterous part). I totally agree with the fact that “the struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart…”. I am also fascinated by the works of Hannah Arendt (which I would like to understand more spontaneously, I admit…) because they offer, with those of Camus, exceptional reflections on freedom. Otherwise, I sincerely miss Serge Bouchard. I am so grateful for the trust and respect he placed in our intelligence. Every time he shared his knowledge and thoughts, he gave us the gift of making us more intelligent and cultured.
PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Philippe-Audrey Larrue-St-Jacques during her solo show Child of the century.
The most surprising thing you’ve done for love?
To change life. Firstly, it was an enterprise of seduction that pushed me to abandon the theater to try my luck in humor. Secondly, recently, I had the chance to meet someone who made me want to define myself in ways other than professional success. So I changed my schedule, underwent psychotherapy, changed my diet and pruned my tree of priorities. In fact, I changed everything to simply try (albeit laboriously) to refocus my life around who I love rather than who I wish I was.
What torments your conscience?
The fate of adolescents. I have the impression that we are taking away the most beautiful privileges of youth: optimism and naivety. After being neglected during the pandemic, they spend their days in horribly dilapidated schools and see a government averse to (necessary) changes that would tangibly improve their lives and prove that they are valued. In addition to making them feel guilty about the deterioration of French and making their access to capital impossible, they are condemned to resolve the climate crisis. Good luck not succumbing to pessimism, individualism or, worse, nihilism.
The perfect place (or state of mind)?
Wherever there are books. Whenever I don’t feel well, I look for a library and spend hours, even days, there. The calm, the silence, the solemnity, even the smell of carpets unchanged since 1973… I love everything about libraries. In addition, we are surrounded by answers to all our questions.
An advantage of being selfish?
Comfort. The other does not exist. In other words, you adapt everything according to your needs and sometimes you even expect us to adapt to your desires. In addition to living in comfort, it must be incredibly liberating to escape the guilt of bothering, frustrating and pissing off everyone! I often envy selfish people.
A quality you will never have?
Conciseness. Surprisingly, this is my most concise answer. That said, should you really expect a miracle with a name like mine?
A recurring dream (or nightmare)?
I dream (and nightmare) every day about centris.ca and duproprio.com.