A column of smoke quickly rose into the air… and Kurt bursts into flames, blazing like the countless fires he has set.

Impetuous German playwright Marius von Mayenburg (a contemporary of Thomas Ostermeier) explores the volatile rebellion of youth. In Visage de feu (Fireface), the protagonist is a clearly dangerous pyromaniac on the threshold of puberty; his sister Olga is numb with boredom, and their parents are in total denial. The play takes a caustic and unsettling look at contemporary issues that threaten to burn the modern family to the ground.

For director Joël Beddows, who stages this incandescent text, the characters embody the decadent and nihilistic spirit of our age. It is a slice of reality delivered in elegant, precise language, in a skilful adaptation that renders it even more immediate. Coproduced by three powerhouse theatres from three different provinces, this stunning work may just set your world on fire.

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BLAZING BODIES
Interview with the director Joël Beddows and the translator Frank Heibert
The director Joël Beddows lives in Ottawa, and the translator Frank Heibert lives in Berlin. Together they stepped into the flames as they worked on an adaptation of Visage de feu. The Théâtre français and the Theatre Department of the University of Ottawa invite you to a discussion between these two men, hosted by the journalist Mélissa Proulx. A rich and fiery exchange awaits!
Thursday, October 31 from noon to 1 pm
At the NAC’s Fourth Stage
Free admission