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Directed by: Martin Faucher
Synopsis
BY MORRIS PANYCH
This internationally acclaimed, incisive comedy brilliantly tackles the rites and hypocrisies surrounding death. Kemp, a self-centered bank employee, receives a letter from his aunt Gracy. Alone and ill, she feels the end is near. Without a second’s hesitation, Kemp packs his bags and rushes across the country to be at “Auntie’s” side. To his great surprise, she doesn’t seem at all ready to leave for a better place! This Canadian play reveals the solitude borne by the unloved through humour and tenderness, with a twist that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
A co-production with THÉÂTRE DU RIDEAU VERT
REVIEW: Vigil
REVIEW: Vigil
Vigil explores the lighter side of mortality
By Walter J. Lyng, THE SUBURBAN, March 21, 2012
READ THE ARTICLELEARN MORE!
A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
Life is incredible. Just when you think that everything is over, that night can only turn into night, that grim will only make way for grimmer, and that beige will only shade to gray, life offers us surprises, again and again, right up to the end. And just when you think that’s it, that it’s really over—well, it turns out you’re wrong. Nothing’s over because when you look closely at nature and the life cycle, you realize that nothing is ever really over. Something’s always sprouting or growing or being born, and it’s all because of a gesture performed or a word said to someone you meet, or sometimes simply because of those greatest of coincidences that life alone has the gift of orchestrating.
With Vigil, Morris Panych offers us a seemingly cruel and cynical story where the savagery gradually makes way for reconciliation and tenderness. Vigil is the story of flowers trampled and flowers budded, and of a childhood that seeks only to bloom despite the child’s age and the ravages it has suffered at the hands of others.
I would like to welcome the very talented Marcel Jeannin who, after Éric Bernier at Théâtre du Rideau Vert, takes on the role of Kemp with courage and boldness that represents his character. I also take this opportunity to tell you of the infinite gratitude I have for Kim Yaroshevskaya who, through her legendary doll Fanfreluche, opened up the reaches of my imagination over 40 years ago. It’s thanks to Kim, to her light, to her mischievous eye and generous heart, that theatre became an immense playground for me that had to be perpetually reinvented. Tonight, for you and for me, Kim plays Grace. Here’s to Grace!
Everything’s been said. There’s nothing more to add.
Have a great evening.
Martin Faucher
Director
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MORRIS PANYCH
Morris Panych graduated from Creative Writing at UBC in 1977, and had his first professional production in 1982 with Last Call for Tamahnous Theatre in Vancouver. Since that time, he has written twenty plays and adapted half a dozen others. He has twice won the Governor General Literary Award for Drama, the highest honour for playwriting in Canada.
He has directed eighty plays. He has also directed for film and opera, as well as music video. His acclaimed film of The Overcoat won an honourable mention at the Prix Italia. He has directed eighty plays.
READ MORRIS PANYCH'S COMPLETE BIO IN THE CANADIAN THEATRE ENCYCLOPEDIA.
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DIRECTOR
MARTIN FAUCHER
Trained as an actor, Martin Faucher made his acting debut in theatre for young audiences. In the early 90s, he also made his mark in the world of dance, collaborating with noted choreographers such as Daniel Léveillé, Harold Rhéaume and Catherine Tardif. In 1988, he began directing by creating a collage from Réjean’s Ducharme’s À quelle heure on meurt? which would earn him the distinction of revelation of the year from the Association of Québecois theatre critics. Some of Martin’s notable credits include Blanche-Neige and La Belle au bois dormant at Théâtre Espace Go (2011), Une Maison propre for the Théâtre de l’Opsis (2009), Du vent entre les dents at Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui (2007); Le Mystère d’Irma Vep – Coup de cœur prize at the Just for Laughs festival and Masque Award for best production in a private theatre (2004); and La Bonne Femme, for Théâtre Bouches Décousues, Masque Award for best direction and best production for young audiences (1995). In 2000, he directed Qui a peur de Virginia Woolf? at the Théâtre du Rideau Vert and in 2010, Une musique inquiétante/Old Wicked Songs, in co-production with the Segal Centre for Performing Arts. A very active presence in the world of theatre for many years, Martin Faucher has been, among other things, president of the Conseil Québécois du Théâtre from 2005-2009, and a teacher in theatre schools on a regular basis. He is artistic consultant for the Festival TransAmériques.
CAST
KIM YAROSHEVSKAYA, Grace
Kim Yaroshevskaya is the creator of “Fanfreluche”, one of the most famous imaginary characters of Radio-Canada’s television programs for young people and now an integral part of Quebec culture. An extremely versatile actress, Kim has performed in plays by Beckett, Ionesco, Chekhov, Lorca and Shakespeare as well as in plays by contemporary Quebec playwrights. She has acted in a number of films including Rafales by André Melançon, Cuervo by Carlos Ferrand, Léa Pool’s La Femme de l’hôtel and in an award-winning performance of the title role in Sonia by Paule Baillargeon. Kim Yaroshevskaya has also appeared in various television series. She earned an Actra Awards nomination for her role in the CBC drama Home Fires. She played “Grand-mère” in Radio Canada’s children show, Passe Partout, and earned a Prix Gémeaux nomination for her role in Tribu.com. Fascinated by philosophical stories, she often presents them in a performance she calls Humour et Sagesse. Occasionally she writes stories herself. Kim is a recipient of the Prix Mérite du Français and a member of the Order of Canada.
MARCEL JEANNIN, Kemp
Based in Montreal, Marcel divides his time between film and television, voice work, and theatre. He began his career as a member of the Stratford Festival company in 1991 under David William, and the Young Company under Marti Maraden the following year. Since then, he has gone on to perform leading parts in various theatres across Canada, recently as a member of the National Arts Centre acting company under Peter Hinton. For the Segal Centre, he has appeared in Inherit the Wind, The Odd Couple, The Diary of Anne Frank, Enemy of the People and Tuesdays with Morrie, and has performed numerous times at the Centaur Theatre, most recently in God of Carnage. Film and Television credits include Affliction, Taking Lives, 300, and Snakes and Ladders. A prominent voice actor, he has lent his voice to over 300 productions in the past 20 years, from documentary narration, to animated series, to video games. He is married to designer Veronik Avery. He is a voracious reader, a devoted cinephile, and has yet to appear in a musical.
DESIGN & PRODUCTION
ELAINE NORMANDEAU, Assistant Director & Stage Manager
Elaine works as a stage manager / assistant director in both English and French theatre as well as in opera. Career highlights include Le procès and Wagner’s Siegfried directed by François Girard, Intérieur and Au cœur de la rose directed by Denis Marleau, Variations énigmatiques, Un fil à la patte and Equus directed by Daniel Roussel, the world premiere of Gilles Tremblay’s Opéra féerie directed by Robert Bellefeuille. Segal credits include the coproduction with Théâtre du Rideau Vert of Une musique inquiétante/Old Wicked Songs directed by Martin Faucher, Amadeus, An Enemy of the People, Harvey, A View from the Bridge and Equus. In her spare time, Elaine works as a translator.
MÉLANIE ERMEL, Apprentice Stage Manager
Mélanie began her artistic career as a dancer. Following training in technical theatre, she went on to apprentice stage manage at the Segal Centre on Lies My Father Told Me, the Montreal International Yiddish Theatre Festival (2011), The Megillah of Itzik Manger, Equus and Scientific Americans. Mélanie also works as a stage technician and a dance teacher.
JONAS BOUCHARD, Set Design
Jonas Veroff Bouchard graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada in 2000 and has been designing sets for theatre and television ever since. Recent theatrical works include L’Illusion comique directed by Anne Millaire (Théâtre Denise-Pelletier), Rabinal Achi directed by Yves Sioui Durand (Ondinnok Theatre) and a number of designs for such stand-up comedians as Jean-Michel Anctil, André Sauvé, Laurent Paquin and Jean-Thomas Jobin. He has contributed to many of Martin Faucher’s productions as set designer: Pierre-Michel Tremblay’s Mille Feuilles (Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui), Britannicus (Théâtre Denise-Pelletier), Autobahn (La Licorne), Femme de rêve (Théâtre Hector-Charland), and many more as a props designer. Jonas’ television credits include : Les Moquettes Coquettes (Télé-Quebec), Horrorarium (Télé-Québec) and Pilote(s) (V Télé).
MARC PARENT, Lighting Designer
A lighting designer for over 25 years, Marc has created more than one hundred designs. With a specialty in contemporary dance, Marc has worked with choreographers from Canada and abroad. He has lit most of Peggy Baker’s solo work, as well as designing for Danièle Desnoyers, Daniel Léveillé, José Navas, and many choreographers in the contemporary dance scene in Montreal. He frequently works in theatre and has collaborated with directors Denis Marleau, François Girard and Martin Faucher. A two-time Masques Awards nominee, Marc is currently the resident lighting designer for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal.
LARSEN LUPIN, Music & Sound Design
Under this moniker several identities are concealed: composer, musician, sound designer, sound engineer. Clues are mostly leading to theatre and dance productions, but he (or they?) can also be heard in other domains, like cinema, visual arts and fireworks sound design. Heard in over a hundred cases over the last seventeen years, like Une musique inquiétante / Old wicked songs, Ronfard nu devant son miroir, Après la fin, Thread, Moi chien créole, Félicité, Under Construction, Blue Heart, Luna, Cette fille-là, Top girls, Tête première, Le mystère d’Irma Vep, Arturo Brachetti, Howie le Rookie; in 2005, Larsen Lupin brought back to his den a Masque award for the sound design of Everybody’s Welles pour tous.
LINDA BRUNELLE, Costume Design
Linda has designed costumes and sets for dance, theatre, opera, film and circus productions. Her most recent projects include iD (Cirque Éloize), o’deer (Festival TransAmériques 2011), L’Océantume (Théâtre Le Clou), Faire des enfants (Théâtre de Quat’Sous) and Attachée by multimedia artist Line Nault. She received a Masque for Si j’avais la seule possession dessus le jugement dernier (Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui 1998), the Prix Gascon-Roux for Tristan et Yseult (Théâtre du Nouveau Monde 2004), the Audience Award for Le Revizor (Théâtre Denise-Pelletier 2003) and the Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award (2008) given by the Canada Council for the Arts. Linda represented Canada at the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space in 2003 and 2006. She teaches at the National Theatre School.
ALAIN JENKINS, Prop Artist
A prop artist for the past 13 years, Alain is truly passionate about objects. He was part of the creative team for the Céline Dion showcase A New Day in Las Vegas, and has also contributed to several productions of Le Cirque du Soleil and Franco Dragone. Participating in more than 50 musical shows including Chicago, Cabaret, Sweet Charity, Shérazade, Fiddler on the Roof and The Sound of Music, Alain’s work can be seen in theatre: Dom Juan at Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, La Visite de la vieille dame at Théâtre du Rideau Vert; in dance: Body Remix / Les Variations Goldberg by Marie Chouinard; and in cinema in Pierre Houle’s Monica la Mitraille (2004). He last worked with the Segal Centre on their 2010 production of Une musique inquiétante / Old Wicked Songs, also in co-production with Théâtre du Rideau Vert.
JACQUES-LEE PELLETIER, Make-Up Artist
Jacques-Lee has worked with some of the biggest names in theatre, contemporary dance, opera, photography and television. He has brought his magic touch to hundreds of photo shoots and award-winning print and television ad campaigns ranging from L’Oréal, Clinique and Viagra to Air Canada, Pepsi and l’Opéra de Montréal. He is currently the Canadian make-up artist for Sothys of Paris.
RACHEL TREMBLAY, Wig Artist
Trained in Paris in the eighties, Rachel Tremblay has been making wigs for several artistic fields. From theatre and television to musicals and circus, producers have solicited Rachel for creativity and “savoir-faire”. Her work has appeared at the Segal Centre in several projects including God of Vengeance, Dangerous Liaisons, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Amadeus.
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