Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
Théâtre de La Veillée (Groupe [de] La Veillée, Espace de la Veillée)
Company in Montreal, Quebec, founded in 1974 by Gabriel Arcand.
It specializes in the theatrical deconstruction of literary works (including plays) and is strongly actor-propelled with productions hugely visual and, often, deeply obscure. Because of the Slavic slant of the actors' training and in-house workshops (ie: Jerzy Grotowski), and of three of the company's original artists - Vladimir Agéev, Gregory Hlady and past artistic director Téo Spychalski - the group's theatrical vocabulary is not based solely on North American iconography. Productions can be as perplexing as they are inspiring. Arcand continues to act for the company as does Carmen Jolin, who was Artistic Director from 2010 to 2021. In November 2021, Vincent de Repentigny and Philippe Cyr were appointed Co-General Directors.
Among works which have been presented are Knut Hamsen's La Faim/Hunger, Ionesco's Le roi se meurt/Exit the King, Kafka's Amerika, and Dostoevsky Crime et châtiment/Crime and Punishment.
In 1999, the company's newly renovated theatre was renamed Théâtre Prospéro.
Website: www.theatreprospero.com
Profile by Gaetan Charlebois
Last updated 2021-12-01
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The Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia web site was originally conceived and developed in 1996 by Gaetan Charlebois—theatre critic, playwright, and actor.
