This text is part of the special Theater booklet
Sexual assault experienced by women living with a disability: hard to imagine a more difficult subject to create a play. However, this is the challenge that Catherine Bourgeois, general and artistic director of the Joe Jack and John company, set herself with the pieceViolet. And it is thanks to the integration of technologies that it has succeeded in meeting this challenge.
“Joe Jack et John is always interested in the renewal of the theatrical form, indicates Catherine Bourgeois from the outset. Historically, we are rather in the low tech, but with this theme, I wanted a very intimate form, and that’s what led us to virtual reality. »
Violet, it is in fact a woman living with a handicap who receives one spectator at a time in her room. “The universe deployed by virtual reality is a magical realism, where we also see elements of the tale appear,” says Catherine Bourgeois. They allow to talk about very hard elements, but in a very illustrated and poetic way rather than being in a frontal, graphic report. »
While the creator is aware that virtual reality has benefited from a very rapid development due to video games and pornography, two mediums “that cannot be defined as being feminist”, she is delighted to use it. “to free the voice of women”.
Violetwhich offers its last performances in April in Montreal, was first created in beta version, on a very low budget, for the OFFTA festival in 2018. “This experience, which took place in my apartment, allowed the team to understand and take ownership of the project”, explains Catherine Bourgeois.
Afterwards, Violet benefited from the support of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, thanks to the Digital Exploration and Deployment program. The new version was filmed in 2019 to premiere in spring 2020, but was postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic. “One spectator at a time in a small cabin: it was all very pandemic after all, recalls Catherine, laughing. It seemed to be fixed with the views guy. »
From intimate to flamboyant
If the digital gives Violet its very intimate side, technologies can also bring a dazzling aspect to a work, notes Mireille Camier, director, actress and member of the digital committee of the Conseil québécois du théâtre (CQT). “Large video projections can, for example, be very galvanizing and allow the work to be discovered by new audiences,” she explains. Moreover, there has always been a grandiose and flamboyant side to the theater. Just think of the Greeks who made gods appear with machines. »
She also mentions The ball in Paris, a show by the Franco-Spanish choreographer and director Blanca Li, which won an award at the Venice Film Festival in 2021, which incorporates virtual reality. “Spectators are invited to a grand ball, wear a dress designed by Chanel and can dance in this truly immersive experience, describes Mireille Camier. Actors have pre-recorded a performance, while others are physically on site. It’s both grandiose and very human because people are invited to be together and touch each other, even if it’s through a virtual reality headset. »
Technologies can also improve a work, underlines the director. “For example, the broadcast of the Quebec play I love Hydroin the form of podcasts helped introduce it to another audience, who then wanted to see it in theaters,” she says.
The possibilities around digital technology are practically endless, but the Quebec theater community has a lot of questions on the subject. This is why the Conseil québécois du théâtre has created a digital committee that organizes various training courses and events for creators. “There are more and more technologies that are available, but they can be scary, and moreover, many people are unfamiliar with them,” says Mireille Camier. But these technologies are tools that you have to know, and you have to be able to assess when they could bring something extra to a work. »
Make theater more discoverable
The digital committee of the CQT also reflects on the data. “We are trying to find out how we can make theater more discoverable thanks to the Internet,” explains Mireille Camier. For example, what are the pieces presented tonight? It’s not that easy to find. »
The various organizations active in the field of theater obviously benefit from joining forces to move forward. “Since each organization is looking for tools to be more efficient, it’s important that they talk about them together to share their knowledge and avoid duplicating work,” says the creator. That’s how the theater community will be stronger. »
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.