For once, seven Montreal theaters agree to present, one after the other, the same play. It is The crossing of the century, an adaptation of Michel Tremblay’s work directed by Alice Ronfard. Delighted to see this one-of-a-kind collaboration come to fruition, the participating theaters are not ruling out repeating the experience.
“It’s a collaboration that went without saying. We would have fought otherwise to have it! “laughed the artistic and general director of the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde (TNM), Lorraine Pintal, when the news was announced on Monday morning. It is in his establishment that the tour will end on June 29, 2024.
Each participating theater will offer a single and unique performance of the show during the year 2023-2024. Before going to the TNM, the play will play at the Center du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui (CTDA) (August 26, 2023), at the Espace Libre (September 2, 2023), at La Licorne (April 20, 2024), at the Quat’ sous (May 25, 2024), at the Rideau Vert (June 8, 2024) and at Duceppe (June 15, 2024). All theaters have agreed on a flat rate of $90 per seat and will launch ticket sales starting April 14.
“Limiting yourself to a single theater did not work. We had to go through the theaters with our national author. This piece is an important cultural moment, it tells the story of our great-grandmothers, our grandmothers, our mothers. It tells us that story,” explains Sylvain Bélanger, co-director general and artistic director of the CTDA.
This unique collaboration thus not only pays tribute to the talent of Michel Tremblay — who celebrated his 80th birthday last year — but also “connects Quebecers with their history”, according to him.
Convey
The crossing of the century is a summary of the abundant work of the famous author which spans almost six decades, more than 30 novels and as many plays. Alice Ronfard’s adaptation focuses on the life and destiny of three women, Victoire, Albertine and Thérèse, three key characters in Tremblay’s work. We find there themes dear to the latter such as the place of women, the desire for emancipation, homosexuality, interbreeding or even the transcendence of genders.
The 12-hour show brings together more than twenty artists on stage. The text had already been the subject of a first reading-event at the Espace Libre on August 27th. “I lived it as a spectator that day and I really had an experience that crossed me for weeks, months later,” said Félix-Antoine Boutin, who last December became the new co-director general and artistic director of Espace Libre. He does not doubt for a second the future success of the next performances.
“For me, it’s a dream come true,” said director Alice Ronfard, also present at the press conference on Monday. She indicated that the piece is the result of three and a half years of work in collaboration with André Brassard. “We started by reading the novels and I quickly became mad, hysterical with Tremblay’s universe. My friends would arrive at my house and there were post-its everywhere, faxes, photocopies,” she recalls.
Today, she is delighted to see the play programmed in so many theaters, even if she cannot share this moment with André Brassard, who died last October. “Towards the end, he couldn’t take it anymore. I felt the responsibility of transmission. That’s what drives me, this idea of transmitting not only the work of this great author [Michel Tremblay] who will be leaving us at some point, and André Brassard,” she added, moved to tears.
Alice Ronfard also announced that The crossing of the centuryafter having taken the form of a play and a podcast, will materialize in a book published by Éditions Leméac next August.
Other collaborations to come?
Unique in its kind, could this collaboration between several theaters happen again? “It always depends on the project, on the work,” emphasizes Félix-Antoine Boutin of Espace libre. He doesn’t close the door to the idea but is hesitant: “It may make small business, but you shouldn’t force things. »
Same story on the side of France Villeneuve, co-director general of Quat’Sous. “In this case, we have a unifying project. We have all had creations by Michel Tremblay. But in general, all theaters are different. It’s hard to find an author who brings us all together. »
Lorraine Pintal, of the TNM, is much more motivated to repeat the experience. “I dare to hope that it starts again and that it is around the work of a woman this time. Why not Marie-Claire Blais? “, she drops, throwing a pole at her colleagues.