Updated: August 22, 2022
Effective September 5, 2022, Canadian Stage will no longer require proof of vaccination. As of August 22, 2022, masking is optional for members of the public attending performances, contractors and employees.
Meet Bobby Theodore, the Governor General Award-nominated Translator / Adaptor of Public Enemy
Bobby Theodore, a screenwriter, playwriter, and translator, has translated over 25 works of theatre. His process? Before translating, Bobby will see a play, meet the playwright and then, ask them to play tennis. Olivier Choinière is really good, he says. But it’s not all fun and games: the process of translating takes a lot of listening.
Public Enemy was originally written and presented in French, about a Québécois family mired in the politics of the 2010s. For the Canadian Stage production, Bobby Theodore was brought on to translate and adapt the play for English-speaking audiences. But not only did he translate the play from French to English, he updated and adapted the work to present the culture and politics of present-day Toronto families.
It’s about the divisions that were caused by the pandemic, that were already there and are continuing. People want to blame others for what is happening and there is no answer. People are trying to come to grips with the responsibility of being human. – Bobby Theodore
How to tackle such a big project? Bobby searched for the music of the play, and what it was trying to say. Then he searched for the creative well: the creative impulses that both he and the playwright were pulling from. In this case, it was the sincere love that the family in Public Enemy has for each other, and the resentment that pulls them apart.
We all feel things we do not want to feel. Some of those things are fear, resentment, jealousy and greed. Another thing we share is an inability to express those feelings.
Throughout Public Enemy, multiple characters converse simultaneously. This makes it play like a musical composition; it is literally like listening to a score. The audience is engaged in a very intimate way as they listen to overlapping, competing conversations, and make the choice of what to listen to – and whose side to take.
Public Enemy is on stage September 20 – October 8, 2022.
Public Enemy by Olivier Choinière, translated and adapted by Bobby Theodore
We're delighted to have welcomed Margaret Atwood and Ann-Marie MacDonald for the "In Conversation" chat hosted by Roland Gulliver (Director of the Toronto International Festival of Authors) in the Berkeley Street Theatre as part of the Fall On Your Knees ancillary events. Continue reading for some memorable moments from the evening.
We’re thrilled to present the epic, two-part stage adaption of Ann-Marie MacDonald’s internationally best-selling novel, Fall On Your Knees! In this edition of CS Grid, we’re delighted to interview Alisa on what compelled her to direct the stage adaptation, why the story resonates with us today, what fans and new audiences can expect, and so much more!
Transforming an inspired idea into a large-scale creation for the stage is only possible with major financial and artistic support. Thank you to all the generous support from funders, underwriters, and donors from across the country who fuelled this project.
In this edition of CS Grid, we interview Sandra Laronde to learn more about the creation of Miigis: Underwater Panther the importance of presenting this production, what audiences can expect, and the future of Red Sky.
