Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
Mon oncle Marcel qui vague vague près du Métro Berri
Drama in two parts by Gilbert Dupuis, premiered at the Salle Fred-Barry of the Nouvelle Compagnie Théâtrale / Théâtre Denise-Pelletier, March 22, 1990, directed by Alain Fournier, with set and costumes by Mario Bouchard and lighting by Stan Kwiecien, featuring Yvan Benoît, Jasmine Dubé, Marc Legault, Julien Poulin, Normand d'Amour, Robert Marien and Suzanne Garceau. Winner of the Governor General’s Award.
This is a story of hope and despair among the homeless and the people who work with them and the people who exploit them (sometimes the same people). We see the violence of the city of Montreal, the system that sometimes brutalizes the poor (despite the best efforts of good people), and the thugs who take advantage of hard times at every turn. Not a happy evening of theatre, but an important one.
Marcel, the uncle of the title, is a spectre from the last time this country was so poor (and cruel): the Dirty 30s.
The area described in the title, around the Berri subway station, is still a preferred hangout for the homeless.
Readings: Gilbert Dupuis. Mon oncle Marcel qui vague vague près du Métro Berri. Montreal: L'Hexagone, 1991.
Commentary by Gaetan Charlebois
Last updated 2019-10-18
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