STRAIGHT JACKET WINTER

January 2011. A francophone couple travels 5,000 km from Montreal to Vancouver to begin a new life on the West Coast. In trying to learn the ways of their adopted city, the pair rapidly confronts the difficulties of communication and of developing a social network. As a long rainy winter drags on outside their doors, they end up withdrawing more and more into themselves, as the four walls of their apartment become the boundaries of their own private universe. How long can these two lovers manage to survive in isolation from the world?

Loosely inspired by Réjean Ducharme's novel L’Hiver de force, Straight Jacket Winter is a semi-autobiographical work about the the growing phenomenon of mass mobility and its repercussions for our social and emotional lives, and for our sense of who we are.

“Straight Jacket Winter [...] explores form in a huge way and, while doing so, charms the heck out of us.”
— Vancouver Courier (Jo Ledingham)
 
 

A production of 2PAR4, NAC French Theatre and Théâtre la Seizième

Written and Directed by: Esther Duquette and Gilles Poulin-Denis
Associate Director : Édith Patenaude
Cast: Esther Duquette, Frédéric Lemay, Gilles Poulin-Denis and Julie Trépanier
Lighting Design : Itai Erdal
Set and Props design: Julie Vallée-Léger
Costumes: Drew Facey
Music: Antoine Berthiaume and Jacques Poulin-Denis
Video: Antoine Quirion Couture
Dramaturgy: Philippe Ducros
Artistic Consultant : Craig Holzschuh
Stage Manager : Dominique Cuerrier
Technical Director : Clémence Doray

TOURING HISTORY

Jun 6 > 8 2019

Magnetic North Festival
Vancouver (BC)

Jan 10 > 27 2019
Cercle Molière 
Winnipeg (MB)

Jan 25th 2018
Théâtre L'Escaouette
Moncton (NB)

Jan 23rd 2018
Théâtre populaire d'Acadie
Caraquet (NB) - Canceled

Dec 11 > 16 2017
Théâtre la Licorne Montréal (QC)

Nov 16 > 19 2016
National arts centre
Ottawa (ON)

Nov 9 > 11 2016
Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario
Sudbury (ON)

Nov 4 > 6 2016
Troupe du Jour
Saskatoon (SK)

Oct 18 > 29 2016
Théâtre la Seizième
Vancouver (CB)

May 27 > 29 2016
Carrefour international de théâtre de Québec (QC)

This project has been created with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and of the Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages 2013-2018: Education, Immigration, Communities; BC Arts Council; La Fondation pour l'avancement du théâtre francophone au Canada; L'Association des théâtres francophones du Canada; the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity; Le Carrefour international de théâtre de Québec; PTC (Playwrights Theatre Centre), and The Only Animal. Our sincere thanks also to Cory Haas, Anita Rochon, Mark Chavez, Mélanie Dumont, Anne-Marie Guilmaine, Maxime Robin, Ludger Beaulieu, and Joëlle Bond.