The French theatre presents: Hamlet_director's cut
January 30, 31, February 1, 2 at 8 p.m. in the NAC Azrieli Studio
Performed in French only with no English surtitles
“In a remarkable visual twist, director François Blouin
surrounds Marc Beaupré’s Hamlet with eerie spectres,
not just of Hamlet’s father, but of Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia and so on.”
Jim Burke, Montreal Gazette, April 7, 2017
January 9, 2019 – OTTAWA – A condensed, stripped down, radicalized Hamlet. A single actor, Marc Beaupré, playing several parts, several voices, and several variations of the same insurmountable existential drama. A Shakespearean tragedy revisited and remixed. A captivating experience.
Haunted by the characters in his tragedy, Hamlet, alone on stage, becomes the narrator of his own life story. Did his uncle murder his father and seduce his mother—or is he himself the guilty one? The grieving son wonders, questions, starts again, crippled by doubts, driven to distraction by his inability to take revenge. Diving deep into the mind of Shakespeare’s famous tragic hero, the creative duo of Marc Beaupré and François Blouin use live motion capture and video projections to propel him into an unrelenting melee with virtual opponents.
“This ‘director’s cut’ version transports us to another time.
But it also recalls the existential question [‘To be, or not to be’] that we like to conceal
in the twists and turns of a sometimes destructive cyberspace.”
Sylvie Bergeron, Huffington Post, April 7, 2017 (transl.)
Based on the play by: William Shakespeare // Translated by: Jean Marc Dalpé // Directed and adapted by: Marc Beaupré and François Blouin // Cast: Marc Beaupré // Set, lighting and visual design: François Blouin // Creative programming and stage management: Jonathan Jeanson and Hugo Laliberté // Sound design: Nicolas Letarte // Dramaturgical and stage management consultant: Nicolas Guillemette // Production assistant: Xavier Inchauspé
Production: Terre des Hommes
Running time: approximately 55 minutes with no intermission
ENRICH YOUR THEATRE EXPERIENCE
PRE-SHOW TALK – OUR SHAKINGS: ADOLESCENCE FACING THE WORLD
Join us on Thursday, January 31, as of 7 p.m. in the NAC Rossy Pavilion!
Come and listen as four young people aged 15 to 20 debate about current affairs and what’s at stake for their future. They will explore topics relating to doubt, and the role art may play in connecting us to our own truth. A riveting and relevant public talk which will make the case for a more understanding and appreciative world.
Useful Information: Free admission // Approximately 1 hour // French only
POST-SHOW TALK
There will be a post-show talk after the performance on Thursday, January 31. A unique opportunity to gain insight into the show and to aks the artists some questions!