Helen Lawrence is a ground-breaking co-production with Canadian Stage, the Arts Club Theatre Company, The Banff Centre and Stan Douglas that intertwines 3D animation, live-filming and theatre. NAC English Theatre invested in the show through The Collaborations, an initiative that gives resources to artists who are creating or honing new work across Canada.
After premiering in March at Vancouver’s Stanley Theatre, Helen Lawrence enthralled German audiences at Munich’s renowned Kammerspiele theatre in June before moving to Edinburgh’s historic King’s Theatre in August.
“The German audience had a really strong interest in theatrical discourse,” said Sarah Garton Stanley, Associate Artistic Director of English Theatre, and the associate director of the show. “They were very interested in what Stan was trying to do, and really responded to it on that level. It completely energized our sense of confidence as artists, as having something valued and valuable to say on the international stage.”
Performing internationally allows artists to meet and see each other’s work, Stanley said.
“Because the people at the Kammerspiele were so open to our work, we were likewise just entranced with what they were doing. That kind of exchange is so rich to us as artists, and it’s part of what makes The Collaborations so important. It allows us to be part of a number of multi-layer conversations, whether it’s the furthest reaches of the international alternative scene, or what’s making noise at the Stratford Festival, or whether we’re feasting at the dinner table of the gods with a show like Helen Lawrence.”
