Ottawa, 28 April 2014 – From April 30 to May 3, Albertine, en cinq temps, the legendary play by Michel Tremblay, will be back at the NAC to celebrate its 30^th anniversary! Originally presented at the Théâtre français in 1984 by André Brassard, the theatre’s artistic director at the time, the work has come to be viewed by many as Michel Tremblay’s masterpiece. In this new version, Lorraine Pintal brings together six top-notch actresses to perform the roles of Albertine and her sister Madeleine. A universal figure, Albertine is a manifestation of the aspirations, emotions and sensitivity of all women. The piece will be presented at 7:30 p.m. at the NAC Theatre.

 

I don’t have any reason to cry, but all kinds of reasons to scream and yell!
 

 

 

 

Albertine is rage. Her tragedy is her inability to get beyond her fury. Michel Tremblay’s play portrays the emblematic character at different stages of her life. At 30, Albertine is passionate. At 40 she explodes. At 50 she starts her life over. At 60 she succumbs to depression and medication. And at 70, she seems resigned. An observer of her own life and a prisoner of her fate, she screams out her despair across the years.

 

With this composition for five voices, masterfully arranged and presented with colourful vigour, Michel Tremblay captures the depth of female alienation and anger, making for an incredibly strong work. Lorraine Pintal orchestrates this tour de force with the support of a chorus of remarkable actresses: Émilie Bibeau (Albertine at 30), Eva Daigle (Albertine at 40), Marie Tifo (Albertine at 50), Lise Castonguay (Albertine at 60), Monique Miller (Albertine at 70) and Lorraine Côté (Madeleine).

 

With actresses slipping so fully and completely into the multiple skins of Albertine and Madeleine, we sought to anchor Tremblay’s words in the present-day world so as to show that even thirty years later the piece is as topical and contemporary in its staging of the resilience of women, their courage, their determination, their never-ending lust for life.

Lorraine Pintal

Text : Michel Tremblay // Director : Lorraine Pintal // Cast : Émilie Bibeau, Lise Castonguay, Lorraine Côté, Eva Daigle, Monique Miller et Marie Tifo // Assistant Director : Bethzaida Thomas // Set design : Michel Goulet // Lights : Denis Guérette // Music : Jorane // Costumes : Sébastien Dionne // Costume assistant : Jeanne Lapierre // Make up : Jacques-Lee Pelletier // Production : Théâtre du Trident and Théâtre du Nouveau Monde
 

What the Critics Say

 “…Six magnificent, strong and very moving actresses make Tremblay’s music resonate, vibrating with it, uniting their sensibilities as they sing out the gentle sweetness of Madeleine and the feelings of Albertine.”
Marie Laliberté, Le Devoir

“Well served by an extraordinary cast, [the play] is funny, touching and most especially deeply moving.”
Isabelle Houde, Le Soleil

"Thirty years after its initial presentation, the work takes on new colours in the hands of director Lorraine Pintal, who has created a touching vision, muted and intelligent, of this tragedy of everyday life."
Josianne Desloges, Revue jeu