Le Pleureur désigné

Synopsis

The Designated Mourner tells the story of three people: Howard — a poet, essayist, and intellectual — who is from a privileged background but who has been critical of the right-wing regime that rules his country. Judy, his daughter, a subtle, witty and deep-feeling woman, who reveres her father; and Jack, Judy’s husband, a protégé of Howard’s who later refutes and abandons everything his mentor stands for. Judy was initially drawn to Jack because he offered a refuge from the high intellectual standards imposed by her father but Jack’s cynicism and his unwillingness to submit to the intellectual hypocrisy of their circle causes deep conflict within the family. When a group that Howard had supported rebels against the current regime, things become increasingly tense and complex. Suddenly issues such as what sort of books people like to read and how they choose to amuse themselves become both grimly personal and unexpectedly entangled with questions of survival.

Wallace Shawn is an acclaimed playwright who has written for both film and theatre. He is probably best known for his film work, My Dinner with Andre (1981), a partially autobiographical film he penned with co-star Andre Gregory. The son of long-time New Yorker editor William Shawn, he is also a prolific and acclaimed actor, having appeared in films such as All That Jazz, Manhattan, The Princess Bride, and Vanya on 42nd Street.

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Credits

Le Pleureur désigné by Wallace Shawn

French translation Philippe Ducros

Directed by Stacey Christodoulou

With:

Set Design and Costumes

Eo Sharp

Lighting Design

David Perreault Ninacs

Music

Ludovic Bonnier

Stage Manager

Lori Allen

Technical Director

Isabelle Beaudry

Dates March 27 to April 14, 2007

Venue Théâtre Prospero (Main Space), 1371, rue Ontario Est (métro Beaudry)

Schedule Tuesday to Saturday at 8:00pm

Tickets $24 ($17 students and seniors)

Reservations 514 526-6582

Partners

Press

Ces deux bonnes productions m’ont fait découvrir le théâtre de Shawn. … Il y a dans l’ensemble de la dramaturgie de Shawn une propension à fouiller l’abject, à représenter ce que l’homme commet le plus vil : insultes, rejets, abus, penchant pour une sexualité purement génitale des amants dans le couple et toutes les formes de cruauté – viol, torture, meurtre – auxquelles s’adonnent soldats endoctrinés, gouvernement ivre de pouvoir et autres guérilleros radicaux qu’évoquent les protagonistes.
Hélène Jacques
Jeu 125, avril 2007
Nous sommes dans une Amérique où on semble toujours faire la chasse aux sorcières, comme au temps du maccarthysme. Les trois admirables interprètes défendent fort bien ce texte, déroutant tant par le regard acide qu’il pose sur la société que par sa forme même.
Josée Bilodeau
Ici, du 5 avril au 11 avril 2007
Les comédiens du Pleureur désigné ne sont pas en reste et leur prestation est d’une grande justesse, nous faisant sentir les failles de leurs personnages, ce qu les ronge. De son côté, la mise en scène offre des transitions très fluides entre les passages narratifs et dialogués et parvient à intégrer subtilement dans la scène ceux qui n’y participent pas.
Aurélie Olivier
www.montheatre.qc.ca, 31 mars 2007

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