Marguerite Duplessis is one of the many heroines omitted from history books. She is, however, the first slave and the first Indigenous person in New France to have mounted a legal fight for her freedom. Inspired by the resistance and thirst for liberty that drove the struggle of this early activist, Marguerite: le feu draws powerful parallels between the slave trade of African women deported to Martinique, the enslavement of Indigenous women, and the violence they still endure today.
Following extensive historical research, Émilie Monnet has created a play about collective amnesia, recovered memory and resilience, and delivers a vibrant tribute to this unsung heroine. The writer and director continues her residency and exploration of new dramatic forms with this choral text for three performers, an intimate blend of singing, acting, sound work and documentary theatre.
Based in Tiohtià:ke/Mooniyang/Montréal, the interdisciplinary artistic company Onishka (whose name means “wake up” in Anishinaabemowin) weaves interconnections between Indigenous peoples in Quebec, in Canada and around the world. The creators of each of the company’s projects work together to develop a way of relating to the world that draws on the philosophies, practices and knowledge of their diverse heritages.
Often collaborative, Onishka’s creative process is inscribed in places, their changing seasons, and the interrelationships that unfold within them. Aiming to convey a sense of intimacy, Onishka’s original works shape spaces that amplify the voices of Indigenous people. Audiences for these creations are not so much spectators as witnesses invited to participate in a shared experience based on reciprocity.
The National Creation Fund's investment of $140,000 supported several creative residencies, additional dramaturgical research, and ensured the representation and creative contribution of members of the two communities involved in the project.
Producer: Productions Onishka. Co-producers: Espace Go in association with the Centre du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui (co-presenter).
This project received funding from the Territoire/Création creative residency program and the Émergence théâtrale autochtone program of the Centre d’essai des auteurs dramatiques, as well as a creative residency at Salon 58 and a technical residency at Le Diamant and the National Theatre School of Canada.
Developed with support from the National Arts Centre’s National Creation Fund.
Productions Onishka receives funding from the Conseil des arts de Montréal. Marguerite: le feu received funding from the Cole Foundation, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.
| Presented by the Avignon Festival | Jul 7 - Jul 11, 2023 | Théâtre Benoît-XII (Avignon) |
Émilie Monnet a écrit et mis en scène le spectacle Marguerite, une femme autochtone et esclave qui remonte le temps.
N’eût été Émilie Monnet, la mémoire de Marguerite Duplessis resterait probablement endormie pour de nombreux siècles encore.
