The Quebec Association of Theater Critics (AQCT) unveiled on Monday evening the names of the laureates of the Critics’ Awards for the 2019-2020 season in Montreal.
We also exceptionally announced a Coup de cœur 2020-2021 Prize, to underline a season marked by health measures, postponements and cancellations. And which will have been very trying for the theatrical world.
The prize for “Best Show” goes to Blood, by Lars Norén, staged by Brigitte Haentjens, a co-production of Sibyllines and the French Theater of the National Arts Center. “This moving show marked the critics as much by the quality of its setting in scene as by that of its interpretation”, underline the members of the AQCT, in a press release.
The veteran René Richard Cyr is awarded for his staging, both “naturalist and daring”, of the Three sisters by Anton Chekhov at the TNM. Remember that this show, whose performances were canceled in spring 2020, will be resumed from February 17 to March 5, 2022, at the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde.
In the category of the best show for young audiences, the prize is awarded to the piece Son of what?, by Marie-Christine Lê-Huu, for the Théâtre de l’Avant-Pays. The author imagined a fruitful dialogue between an actor of Russian origin and his son (characters defended by Alexandre Nachi and Sasha Samar). In the eyes of the members of the Montreal section of the AQCT, this production “particularly resonated with the adolescent audience”.
Among performers
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, PRESS ARCHIVES
Actress Marylin Castonguay wins the award for best performer for her performance in the solo Girls and Boyss, presented in winter 2020.
In the female and male interpretation categories, Marylin Castonguay won the honors for her solo performance in The girls and the boys ; in men, Sébastien René is rewarded for his very sensitive performance in Becoming Chelsea. This text by Sébastien Harrisson, inspired by the life of American trans activist Chelsea Manning, was created in Montreal by Les 2 Mondes. ” [Sébastien René] once again proved his immense talent by taking on a complex role, which addressed issues related to identity and gender, ”one emphasizes.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, PRESS ARCHIVES
Sébastien René is rewarded for his very sensitive performance in Becoming Chelsea.
In the category of the original text, Rébecca Deraspe again wins the honors for her play Those who evaporated, a production that the Center du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui will resume next April. “A clever, disturbing and touching text,” summarizes the AQCT.
The excellent work of designer Elen Ewing was noticed by the members for her costumes of the Goldoni classic, The Lover, seen at the Denise-Pelletier Theater. She was nominated with two other finalists, the scenographers Pierre-Étienne Locas and Odile Gamache.
Finally, a special Critics’ Favorite prize was awarded to the creation laboratory. Prelude to The Night of Kings, a work conceived by the director Frédéric Bélanger, “at the same time theatrical, musical and cinematographic whose hybridity dazzled the critics”.