Be bold or fit the mould?

When we founded Théâtre Bouches Décousues, I would never have guessed that, as an actor turned executive director, I would one day be writing these words on the occasion of our 25th season. A season that will showcase three new productions from November to May: Les Mauvaises herbes, Marguerite and Ginkgo et la jardinière. Three new plays that will not be presented at the expense of our production or cultural mediation work, as you will see from our brochure.

After Leo the Zero and Les flaques, co-produced with various Quebec partners, we will present Ginkgo et la jardinière in collaboration with Brussels’ Théâtre Maât. Borne out of the sharing of methods as well as economic and geographic realities, Ginkgo is premised on the choosing of oneself. The story, which expands at every new stage of the creative process, has earned the trust of enthusiastic programmers on both sides of the ocean.

For 25 years, I have witnessed the evolution of young people’s theatre. Bold, artistic propositions, evolving forms and aesthetics, and the professionalization of our production partners are all clear signs of the vitality of our artistic practices. I am proud of Théâtre Bouches Décousues’ contribution to children’s theatre with such atypical productions as The Dressmaker, for audiences of 30, or more recently Marguerite, with its four-member cast performing to a target audience 18 months and over. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to say that our only artistic limitations are financial in nature.

Theatre endures because it avoids mass production and because it has been bringing young and old together around performances for thousands of years. If producing plays is in itself a challenge, and more so these last years in view of the growing number of offerings in a market that has remained stable, we must not stop inventing new ways of creating and producing singular plays that do not fit the traditional mould.

It is this challenge that motivates me and gives ground to my creative expression. I view my work as supporting the artistic process in order to facilitate the creation and development of new works under the best conditions possible.

Have a great season!