In their own words

VIDEO CAPSULE

Video

This video features stories from Quebec theatre artists who share their positive experiences of previous intercultural artistic collaborations.

Thanks

The Conseil québécois du théâtre (CQT) would like to sincerely thank Casteliers for the loan of its premises in the Maison internationale des arts de la marionnette (MIAM), where this video was shot. Its generosity was crucial to the success of this project, and we are honoured to be able to rely on our partnership with this organization.

The CQT would also like to thank Productions Ondinnok for so generously making its premises available. Thanks to your solidarity we were able to finish shooting the video in the best possible conditions, despite unreliable weather and city-wide power cuts.

Goals

The main goals of this capsule are to:

encourage interaction and work that involves different cultures in the theatre world
stimulate critical thinking about the way we approach creative initiatives
illustrate the challenges that may arise during this process
highlight the richness of a creative approach based on dialogue
share promising ideas and inspiring examples of collaboration

Credits

Production and editing: Albert Kwan
Artistic direction: Geneviève Bélisle and Raffaela Siniscalchi
Concept: Monia Abdallah, Geneviève Bélisle and Raffaela Siniscalchi.

Artists:

Hélène Ducharme, Mamby Mawine and Dramane Dembele (Popimane) for Water’s Whisper, a joint production by Théâtre Motus and Compagnie Djarama.
Jasmine Dubé and Victor Cuellar for The Daisy Chain by Théâtre Bouches Décousues
Dave Jenniss for Wabush in the Wilderness, a joint production by Nouveau Théâtre Expérimental and Productions Ondinnok.

The shows in greater detail

Three shows that were presented publicly in Quebec in the past five year were chosen by a jury of peers based on the following criteria:

The projects brought together at least two different “cultures”
Despite the challenges, the projects led to an enriching collaboration for all involved and set a stimulating example for the theatre community
The projects have the potential of inspiring other, similar initiatives
The projects demonstrate a very high quality creative approach coupled with a rich and constructive established dialogue
The projects embody relevance and sensitivity

Here they are!

Texte descriptif (WCAG)

En premier plan, deux comédiennes, Hélène Ducharme et Mamby Mawine, sont en train de lancer en l'air un grand morceau de tissu bleu, léger et translucide symbolisant l'eau, dans un mouvement gracieux et fluide. Autour d'elles, des bassines de couleurs variées et de différentes tailles reposent sur le sol, chacune contenant des objets tels que des calebasses, traditionnellement utilisées en Afrique comme des bols. En arrière-plan, Dramane Dembelé, également connu sous le nom de Popimane, joue de la kora, une harpe-luth typique d'Afrique de l'Ouest, ajoutant une dimension musicale à la scène.

Water’s Whisper

In Water’s Whisper, Hélène Ducharme and Mamby Wine (aka Patricia Gomis) take a fresh look at the day-to-day realities of water. Their creation highlights the value of clean drinking water and the need for access to it. The traditional songs and live music of multi-instrumentalist Dramane Dembelé (percussion, Peul flute, and n’goni) envelop Water’s Whisper in a poetic, dreamlike atmosphere.

ABOUT DJARAMA THEATRE COMPANY

Actor and artistic director Mamby Mawine (aka Patricia Gomis) is the founder and director of Djarama Theatre Company, which combines art and social issues with a humanistic approach. Since 2005 it has have tackled subjects such as child marriage, female genital mutilation, girls’ access to education and the environment. It performs in a variety of settings that are accessible to everyone.

ABOUT THÉÂTRE MOTUS

Motus creates original plays for young audiences and their families. The company works with puppets and live music, building bridges and fostering free-flowing dialogue between cultures. With its resolutely global outlook, the company embraces and emphasizes collaboration with artists from everywhere, through national and international co-productions.

Dans cette illustration de Patrice Charbonneau-Brunelle, on peut voir cinq silhouettes de femmes en train de tourner en cercle, telles des enfants jouant ensemble. Leur âge est indiscernable, tout comme leur expression faciale. Elles arborent des tenues blanches avec des marguerites tissées. En arrière-plan, le fond est d'un bleu foncé avec des lignes courbes vertes, violettes, rouges et bleu pâle qui semblent lier les corps des femmes dans un mouvement circulaire. Éparpillées dans le ciel, des marguerites ajoutent une touche de poésie à l'image.

Chœur de Marguerite

Jasmine Dubé designed this show for children and their adult companions. It is a reading-performance featuring four artists from diverse backgrounds. The choir members use words and lullabies in French and in their native languages to tell Marguerite’s story from birth to the age of 97. Through a creative lab headed by the author/director, Théâtre Bouches Décousues (TBD) prompts four artists from different cultural backgrounds to come together and share as they work through this poetic theme and perform it for the a audience.

ABOUT THÉÂTRE BOUCHES DÉCOUSUES

Théâtre Bouches Décousues (TBD) is a creative company that promotes equality between children and adults, asserting that children are not just the spectators of tomorrow. They are at the heart of everything the company does. Known for proclaiming loud and clear that children’s theatre is a genre in its own right, TBD contributes to the development of playwrighting and the emergence of new writing and plays to the widest possible audience without any discrimination.

Dans cette illustration de style bande dessinée créée par l’artiste multidisciplinaire aikamekw Catherine Boivin, un homme vêtu de noir et affichant une grande tête de lapin de couleur jaune avance sur un sentier bordé de maisons en bois. L'abondante nature environnante se déploie tout autour de lui. Bien que le décor évoque aisément la réalité d'un petit village en région, un poteau portant l'inscription « Nulle part » occupe le premier plan, suscitant une réflexion sur le lieu et le sens de l'appartenance.

L’enclos de Wabush

Born and raised in Kitchike, Pierre Wabush was destined for an extraordinary fate… In his forties, childless, without a career or any particular talent, he became the pariah of Kitchike after a scandal exposed the corruption surrounding the community’s chief. Wabush, in short, is trapped in a world sending him back to his own inner neuroses. Involuntarily dragged into a mystical and initiatory quest, he will now have to face his past, his fears, and misconceptions to get out of this dimension and return home, forever changed.

ABOUT PRODUCTIONS ONDINNOK

Founded in 1985, Ondinnok was part of the thrust to create an Indigenous platform and build a theatre based on the ancestral values of the First Nations. The company asserts its identity proudly, boldly and with commitment and actively transmits knowledge to the next generation of artists. Ondinnok’s productions give Indigenous peoples a voice. The company also hopes to build bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in a quest for reconciliation.

ABOUT NOUVEAU THÉÂTRE EXPÉRIMENTAL

After dedicating more than four decades to the creative process, Nouveau Théâtre expérimental (NTE) has an extensive repertoire of over 110 theatre productions. Founded in 1979 by a team of inspired creators like Robert Gravel and Jean-Pierre Ronfard, the company has been breaking theatrical bounds with its crazy wisdom. The current artistic directors, Daniel Brière and Alexis Martin, are following in the footsteps of their august predecessors, coming up with bold new productions that never stop questioning the “how” and the “why” of theatre.

COMPASS

A process in critical thinking

This section contains a practical tool that you can use alone or in a group to redefine your approaches and motivations as you take part in an intercultural creative collaboration.

Explore the critical thinking process

Are the cultural references and elements called upon (objects, music, rituals, knowledge, traditions, etc.) presented or used out of their cultural or historical context? Does the subject touch on political, historical or current issues involving discrimination/violence against a person or a group of people? Could the way of representing this culture and/or those belonging to it (text, scenography, music, costumes, acting) maintain or reinforce certain stereotypes?