Abraham Lincoln Goes to the Theater: American Schizophrenia at the TNM

< /p> UPDATE DAY

While re-reading his play Abraham Lincoln Goes to the Theater, writer Larry Tremblay noticed that he had diviner skills.

“It is even more current with what is happening in the United States, notes the playwright in a telephone interview about this work staged for the first time in 2008 and which is resumed in March at the TNM. It sticks more to the news, because the fractures have grown, especially since the arrival of Donald Trump.”

“At the time, I thought I was writing a play on schizophrenia of America and to help me, I put in opposition the republican and the democrat, the black and the white, the poor and the rich, etc. These oppositions have been even more exacerbated for 10 years.”

The creator of L’orangeraieand of The Dragonfly of Chicoutimi emphasizes that a new deal has been added south of the border, namely the advent of “post-truth” where true and false no longer exist . 

“The truth no longer matters and an alternate reality takes over,” says the author. This piece will resonate in this age of misinformation and propaganda.”

Laurel and Hardy

This show tells the story of a director who draws inspiration from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in order to show the dichotomies in the United States. He hires two actors asking them to interpret this historical drama by portraying the hilarious characters of Laurel and Hardy.

This idea of ​​associating a president with the most famous humorous duo in the world came from the desire to mix the comic and the tragic. 

“Creation works when it surprises us, the authors, explains Larry Tremblay. In the theatre, we make sense out of nonsense. That's the beauty of theatricality.”

Luc Bourgeois slips into the skin of Laurel, while Mani Soleymanlou will be Hardy. They will have as opposite Bruno Marcil followed by Didier Lucien.

This production is directed by Catherine Vidal. 

“She is very dynamic, remarks the one who also writes children's books. It is not distressed and it does not distress the author. She is stimulating and energized. She manages to gather happy teams. I'm jealous that I'm not here.”

The text hasn't been changed from previous versions.

“Conspiracy theories took up much less space in the age in our societies, says Larry Tremblay. There was no social media madness to propagate them. If I had written the play today, I would definitely have spoken about it.”

♦ Abraham Lincoln goes to the theater is presented from March 14 to April 8 at the TNM.