Seaside memories written by Serge Marois and directed by Sylviane Fortuny, with Denis Lavalou, Claudine Ledoux and Marcel Pomerlo.
Artistic collaborators: Violaine Burgard, Sylviane Fortuny, Pierre Labbé, Georges Lévesque, Paul Livernois.
Produced by L’Arrière-Scène, centre dramatique pour l’enfance et la jeunesse en Montérégie.
Recommended for ages 5 to 10.

Running time: 40 minutes. School matinees available.

Two men meet at the beach. “Nice day,” says the first. “It’s a hot one,” agrees the second. The first man, Émile, senses things that are invisible; the second, Gaston, believes in what he can see. Two very different personalities: a dreamer and a builder. On this particular day, they are both waiting for a woman—she’s late, as usual!—to give her a present: a dress... and they’ve chosen exactly the same one! Strangely, their polite chit-chat quickly turns into joking and teasing. As they talk, it’s clear that the two are somehow connected. Each seems to know what the other is thinking; they recall the same memories, share the same tastes. Maybe they are brothers revisiting the happy days of their childhood! This fraternal tête-à-tête, delivered in short, cadenced phrases punctuated by the sound of a sweet, powerful and bewitching mezzo-soprano voice, weaves an enchanting story about the most important woman in their lives: their mother. Lyrical and nostalgic, this affectionate and luminous tale ingeniously unravels the web of pretence of the grown-up world to reveal the traces of childhood that survive within each of us.

Serge Marois, playwright, director, and founding artistic director of L’Arrière-Scène, has crafted “an emotional thriller, a story that takes some unexpected turns and keeps us guessing about the identity of the characters.” Mr. Marois explains, “I chose to write the dialogue in short phrases with certain words tossed back and forth between the characters, like an echo to which each person adds their particular note. At the heart of their rendezvous, this duet for twin brothers offers a sweet and tender tribute to the woman who plays a decisive role throughout our lives, whether or not she is still with us.”

Founded in 1976 in Beloeil, Quebec and directed by Serge Marois, L’Arrière-Scène is known for original productions based on poetry and metaphor. Original and unconventional, always respectful of the creativity of its audiences, the company offers environments that combine a variety of artistic forms. By advancing an open-minded approach to the world, their productions engage audiences emotionally and encourage their love of the arts.

WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING
“I’ll say it right off: this is the most beautiful thing Serge Marois has ever written. This ode to siblinghood, with its underlying motif of devotion to the mother, sparkles with intelligence and subtlety, and director Sylviane Fortuny skilfully pulls every string and conveys every nuance.”
Michel Bélair, Le Devoir

“Transported and rocked by the amazing voice of mezzo-soprano Claudine Leroux, whose vocal technique and range are equally impressive, Gaston (Denis Lavalou) and Émile (Marcel Pomerlo) converse in short, abrupt, jerky phrases, conversational fragments that, if we pay attention, tell the story of a young woman who becomes a wife, then a mother.... Austere and simple, La robe de ma mère draws us in with its sensitive treatment of subjects that are close to the heart: maternal and brotherly love, and the child who exists within each of us.... A lovely tribute to mothers, clever and elegant throughout, La robe de ma mère is a luminous, light-hearted play full of love and humour.”
David Lefebvre, theatre reviewer, MonThéâtre.qc.ca

RENCONTRE DU SAMEDI
After the 1:30 p.m. performance on Saturday, October 16, the audience is invited to stay in the Studio for a talkback session with members of the cast and creative team, hosted by Benoît Vermeulen.

SPECIAL PRE-SHOW ACTIVITY
Join us before the performance and create your dream dress, using a variety of arts and crafts materials.

Visit the special exhibition of dresses in the Studio Foyer!

RESERVATIONS:
www.nac-cna.ca

TICKETMASTER:
613-755-1111

NAC BOX OFFICE:
53 Elgin Street, Ottawa
Monday–Saturday
10 a.m.–9 p.m.

TICKETS:
$13.96 (adults and children)

GROUPS OF 10 OR MORE:
Save 15% to 20% off regular ticket prices
613-947-7000, ext. 384
grp@nac-cna.ca

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MEDIA CONTACT:
(Ms.) Aude Rahmani
Communications Officer
French Theatre
613-947-7000, ext. 396
Cell: 613-979-2636
arahmani@nac-cna.ca