Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
Barbeau, François
Quebec -based designer /director.
He studied drawing, design and cutting in Montreal (at Sir George Williams University - now Concordia) and France, Italy and England and worked with Paul Buissonneau with his Roulotte before becoming before launching on a professional career and becoming a teacher at the National Theatre School of Canada . He also teaches at he Université de Québec à Montréal, and is an in-house costume designer for the Théâtre du Rideau Vert .
He has designed virtually every costume at the company since 1962. His work is exquisite. He has an historian's eye for detail and an artist's eye for colour.
He has also designed for the Nouvelle Compagnie Théâtrale / Théâtre Denise-Pelletier , Espace Go , Théâtre du Nouveau Monde , Juste Pour Rire and for film and ballet across this nation and abroad (notably at the Comédie-Française in Paris). He also designed the new Cirque du Soleil show, Dralion (April, 1999) and the Compagnie Jean-Duceppe revival production of La mort d'un commis voyageur (April, 1999).
M. Barbeau also directs, now, including La Déscente d'Orphée/Orpheus Descending (Compagnie Jean-Duceppe), Le Père Noël est une ordure ( Théâtre de La Licorne ), À propos des Williams (Espace Go) and, more recently (November, 2000) L'Heureux Stratagème at Rideau Vert.
In 1996 he won a Governor General's Award and in 1999 was inducted into the Order of Canada. In February, 2000, he was recognized with a special Masque Award for his contribution to theatre.
He has said of designing, "I read, often, the play to be produced but I don't analyse it. I work by instinct. The eras offer me certain tones, colours, the behaviour of the people, their way of life, their way of thinking...The body of the actor playing the role determines the costume as much as the interpretation of the piece by the director."
Last updated 2009-03-11
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