Théâtre français de Toronto presents Un neurinome sur une

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 28 to December 6, 2015
MEDIA CONTACT: Josée Duranleau | 416 652 7672 | [email protected]
Théâtre français de Toronto presents
Un neurinome sur une balançoire (Teetering Neuroma)
When the power of speech offsets the frailty of the human body…
Toronto, ON - Théâtre français de Toronto welcomes back the mesmerizing award-winning actor
Alain Doom in a brand new auto-fictional work, Un neurinome sur une balançoire (Teetering
Neuroma). This stunning story of survival will be presented in French with English surtitles December
2 to 6, 2015 at the Berkeley Street Theatre.
“Neurinoma” is the formal name of a brain tumour. No, don’t run away just yet!
Based on Alain Doom’s own life experience, this tale of resilience is about an actor who must deal
with a growing brain tumour as he travels to the end of the planet. So what brings him to Sudbury? As
he takes refuge in a poet’s garden who will become a mentor, our protagonist is reminded of his
childhood and of his cancer treatments in the United States. He realizes how small things can have a
big impact on our world.
This story is about the need to live, the importance of relationships and of an artist’s work. As it
swings between laughter and poetry, Un neurinome sur une balançoire (Teetering Neuroma) is a
light, bright and delicate performance, akin to a poppy’s petal.
Written and performed by Alain Doom, winner of Prix Théâtre Le Droit 2001. Directed by Joel
Beddows, winner of the Prix Théâtre Le Droit 2004 and the Prix John-Hirsch 2005.
Set Design: Jean Bard; Costumes : Isabelle Bélisle; Soundscape: Jules Bonin-Ducharme; Lighting
Design: Benoît Brunet-Poirier.
A Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario production with the support of L’Atelier and La Chaire en francophonie
canadienne (pratiques culturelles).
_________________________________________________________________________________
UN NEURINOME SUR UNE BALANÇOIRE (TEETERING NEUROMA)
By Alain Doom
December 2 to 6, 2015
Le Théâtre français de Toronto | Berkeley Street Theatre – 26 Berkeley St., Upstairs.
Opening: Wednesday, December 2 at 8 PM
Evening performances: Wednesday to Friday at 8 PM
Saturday matinée: December 5 at 3:30 PM | Sunday matinée: December 6 at 2:30 PM
English surtitled performances: Wed. & Fri. at 8 PM & Saturday matinées at 3:30 PM
Tickets: Adults: $45 to $49 | Seniors (65 +): $38 to $42 | Under 30: $30
Special discounts: Pay-What-You-Can Wednesdays and $20 Rush tickets Saturday evenings (in
both cases: purchase at the door, 1 hour prior to performance, cash only).
Box Office: www.theatrefrancais.com | (416) 534-6604 or 1-800-819-4981
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The Théâtre français de Toronto
presents
UN NEURINOME
SUR UNE
BALANÇOIRE
(Teetering Neuroma)
December 2 to 6, 2015
Playing at Berkeley Street Theatre
Text & Performance: Alain DOOM
Director & Dramaturge: Joël BEDDOWS
©Lévy
L. Marquis
When the power of speech offsets the
frailty of the human body...
ARTISTIC
NOTE
Teetering Neuroma…or A Neuroma on a Swing (the literal translation of the
French title): it’s a title susceptible of sending chills down your spine. But let me
reassure you. The actor’s magnetic personality will charm you and there’s
nothing to worry about. Focus more on the swing and less on the Neuroma.
A few words about Alain Doom: I’ve known him for 15 years. He’s a friend. He’s
an artist. The real deal. His talent touches me every time I see him perform. This
time, he set out to write a play; and since he’s a natural storyteller – it’s a
success. It is with profound pleasure that I invited him over so he would recount
to us the terrible ordeal he was lucky enough to survive. My father used to say
“we have the right to embellish the truth. It makes for even more beautiful
stories to tell.” Isn’t that the essence of our profession as theatre artists? To
“beautifully tell” the stories of our lives?
A few words about Joël Beddows. I’ve known him for 15 years. He’s a friend. He’s an artist. The real deal. His
talent touches me every time I see one of his directorial tour de force. This time, he decided to collaborate
with my other friend and mount “Un Neurinome sur une balançoire - Teetering neuroma”. We’re so lucky that
these two artists decided to unite their talent.
A few words about Geneviève Pinneault. I’ve known her for over 15 years. She’s a friend. She’s an artist and
the Artistic Director of Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario. To our great satisfaction, she decided to produce this show.
I’ve been saying it for years: theatre shows are created among friends. And this is also why — every evening—
I welcome you into our theatre —as friends.
Enjoy the show!
Guy Mignault
SYNOPSIS
“Neurinoma” is the formal name of a brain tumour. No, don’t run away just yet!
Based on Alain Doom’s own life experience, this tale of resilience is about an actor who must deal with cancer
as he travels to the end of the planet. So what brings him to Sudbury? As he takes refuge in a poet’s garden —
a poet who will become a mentor, our protagonist is reminded of his childhood and of his cancer treatments
in the United States. He realizes how small things can have a big impact on our world.
This story is about the need to live, the importance of relationships, and of an artist’s work. As it swings
between laughter and poetry, Un neurinome sur une balançoire is a bright, light and delicate performance,
akin to a poppy’s petal.
An autobiographical piece. A story of survival.
GENESIS OF THE PROJECT
Alain Doom received this diagnosis in 2002. In 2012 he decided to propel himself into a writing project that
confronts the private gesture with the theatrical act, biography with fiction. In his play, Alain recounts a series
of memories, those that he associates with figures of an absent father (his own, possibly), a poet mentor
(Robert Dickson, but in another way), and a benevolent healer (the doctor who saved his life, but not
completely). A gripping introspection to speaks about the disappearance of heroes, the fascination of poetry,
and the fetishism of that ugliness that lives in him to this day: a tumour hidden somewhere in his skull.
APPROACH TO THE WRITING
This writing project is a mixture of genres, confronting the private gesture with the theatrical act, playing with
writing, playwriting, stage composition with playwriting, true or false, or even autobiography with fiction. Joël
Beddows and Alain Doom have known each other for years, the former as director, the latter as actor, so they
naturally approached the project from this familiar angle. The work of writing also resembled the exchanges
they had while mounting the play Frères d’Hiver (“Winter brothers”) by Michel Ouellette pour le Théâtre la
Catapulte. Their established close working relations naturally led them to work on this writing project on
several levels simultaneously.
REFLECTIONS OF THE DIRECTOR
In Un neurinome sur une balançoire, Alain Doom recounts a series of memories, those that he
associates with figures of an absent father (his own, possibly), a poet mentor (Robert Dickson, but in another
way), and a benevolent healer (the doctor who saved his life, but not completely). In fact, this master narrator
plunges us into a gripping introspection that speaks about the disappearance of heroes, the fascination of
poetry, and the fetishism of that ugliness that lives in him to this day: a tumour hidden somewhere in his skull.
And always, he looks for meaning in what might have killed him; instead, it sticks like glue to him and his
imagination. Little wonder that this story, just like Alain’s daily existence, would be something disturbing: this
autobiography in tatters and this existence composed like a nursery rhyme is a testament of that.
Clearly, Alain’s words already possess a rich, unique flavour. Since the beginning of our “trip for two,” whether
as a dramaturge or as a director, I have always tried to bring everything back to the driving idea of an intimate
speech. It’s with just an approach at once intimate and evocative that I will try to create the theatrical world
where most carefully chosen images will be able to breathe.
It’s with deliberate simplicity that they will travel to you.
Joël Beddows
ALAIN DOOM AUTHOR AND PERFORMER
Alain Doom is an actor and teacher. He recently appeared
in Frères d’hiver by Michel Ouellette at Théâtre la
Catapulte, under the direction of Joël Beddows. The
previous year, he played, this time under the direction of
Diana Leblanc, the role of Arnolphe in Molière’s L’École
des Femmes at Théâtre français de Toronto. Since 2006
Alain Doom has been director of Laurentian University’s
theatre program. He has been the literary critic on the
radio on Radio-Canada and a member of the editorial
committee for the revue Liaison. Notably, he received the Prix Théâtre Le Droit for his performance in the play
Du pépin à la Fissure by Patrice Desbiens. This Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario creation, directed by André Perrier,
garnered numerous prestigious awards, including the Masque de la production franco-canadienne and the
Palme for meilleure production extérieure présentée dans la région d'Ottawa-Hull (best visiting production),
bestowed by the Capital Critics’ Circle. This show toured for five years across Québec, Ontario, and Alberta.
JOËL BEDDOWS DIRECTOR
Joël Beddows is recognized as having a deep interest in a dreamlike
repertoire for play development and theatre for young people. At
Théâtre la Catapulte he has directed Le Testament du couturier by
Michel Ouellette (2003); Cette fille-là by Joan MacLeod (2004); La
Société de Métis by Normand Chaurette (2005); Les Entrailles by
Claude Gauvreau (2007); Rage by Michele Riml (2009); Frères d’hiver,
a narrative poem by Michel Ouellette that he adapted with Marie
Claude Dicaire (2011); and La Fille d’argile by Michel Ouellette
(2014). He was also the principal architect of Le Projet Rideau Project
(2010), a production bringing together a hundred Ottawa-Gatineau
artists that he directed in Rebut by Sarah Migneron. His productions
of Le Chien by Jean Marc Dalpé (Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario, 2007);
The Empire Builders by Boris Vian (Third Wall Theatre, 2008); Happy
Days by Samuel Beckett (Foyle Arts Centre, 2010); East of Berlin by
Hannah Moscovitch (GCTC, 2012); À tu et à moi by Sarah Migneron
(L’Atelier, 2013); and Visage de feu by Marius Von Mayerburg (NAC French Theatre, Théâtre Blanc, and
Théâtre l’Escaouette, 2013) have aroused the enthusiasm of critics and the public alike. Since the summer of
2011, he has led the Department of Theatre at the University of Ottawa where he also holds the chair in
Canadian Francophonie (cultural practices), allowing him to pursue projects in dramaturgical development and
aesthetic exploration.
Set Designer - JEAN BARD
Costume - ISABELLE BELISLE
Sound Designer - JULES BONIN-DUCHARME
Lighting Designer - BENOIT BRUNET-POIRIER
Stage Manager - JULIE GRETHEN
TNO Artistic Director
GENEVIÈVE PINEAULT
A THÉÂTRE DU NOUVELCHAIRE EN FRANCOPHONIE CANADIENNE (PRATIQUES CULTURELLES)