National Arts Centre - Centre national des Arts Canada is our stage. Le Canada en scène.

Rome

Sibyllines Montreal

Directed by Brigitte Haentjens
Written by Jean Marc Dalpé

ROME. Beneath this title lies an epic brimming with reflections on power, democracy and the paradoxes these issues raise. By combining in a single evening The Rape of Lucrece, Coriolanus, Titus Andronicus, Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra - Shakespeare’s five Roman tragedies - the project delves into the rise and fall of Roman civilization, a world where chaos is born of the struggle for power between various factions.

Governance, opportunism, contempt for the people, personal and political violence: humanity in all its complexity grapples with its afflictions. The harsh and lucid relevance of Shakespeare’s works is clear, and everything in these texts, from the decline of the elites to the very rejection of democracy, reflects our times and their turbulence.

Company

Independent and uncompromising, Sibyllines is a driving force in the cultural milieu; the company’s commitment to new work allows a unique voice to emerge. In a world marked by a loss of reference points and an overabundance of information, the works of Sibyllines investigate notions of power, domination and subjugation, while relentlessly questioning our relationship to the body, sexuality and intimacy. Few theatre companies have given as much prominence to women artists: over the years, Brigitte Haentjens has staged the words of Sarah Kane, Louise Dupré, Sylvia Plath, Sophie Calle, Patti Smith and other female writers.

Through the determination that is central to Haentjens’ work, the company strives to break down boundaries both ideological and artistic while taking a consistently lucid and inquisitive approach to the creative act.

Creative team

Directed by Brigitte Haentjens
Written by Jean Marc Dalpé
Assistant director Félix Dagenais
Dramaturg Mélanie Dumont
Sets Anick La Bissonnière
Lighting Julie Basse
Costumes Julie Charland
Costumes Yso
Musical director Bernard Falaise
Sound Fredéric Auger
Movement consultant Harold Rhéaume
Props Julie Measroch
Technical director Jérémi Guilbault-Asselin
Production director Cynthia Bouchard-Gosselin
Production assistant Félix-Antoine Gauthier
Administrative director Émilie Martel

National Creation Fund investment

The National Creation Fund’s investment of $150,000 made it possible for the creative team to dedicate additional time to develop and refine the script, including a dramaturgical workshop. This was followed by extensive work on staging, with a creation workshop with the cast and a technical residency with the creative team. In the final development phase, the creators explored the integration of live music and a choir.

Credits

The project Rome is co-produced by Sibyllines, Usine C and NAC French Theatre.

Developed with assistance from the National Arts Centre's National Creation Fund.

Sibyllines is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts et lettres du Québec and the Conseil des arts de Montréal.

Performance dates

Past performances

Presented by Usine C and Sibyllines	Apr 5 - Apr 16, 2023	Usine C (Montreal)
Presented by NAC French Theatre	May 5 - May 6, 2023	Babs Asper Theatre (Ottawa)