Valparaíso, an In Situ
cycle of discovery

The construction of the self through exile, language, poetry, eros, history, genetics and the withdrawal of memory

Valparaiso, Singulier Pluriel‘s ninth production presented as part of Festival Phénomena, from October 10 to 14 and from October 19 to 23 at the Espace Fullum chapel, is inspired by current Latin American practices. Singulier Pluriel’s two directors, Ximena Ferrer and Julie Vincent, continue an In situ cycle and discover in the south-central part of the city a chapel built for the Sisters of Providence. This place, a true heritage jewel, awaited them. After having created La Mondiola in a house, Singulier Pluriel, with the invaluable collaboration of Espace La Traversée, transforms the chapel into a theatre. The musical composition of Michel Smith supports the entire poetic structure of the story.

Dominick Parenteau-Lebeuf

At the start of this project, Dominick Parenteau-Lebeuf had nothing but one image in mind: a woman coming out of a hatch on a floor. She recognizes this hatch – the house of her childhood in St-Blaise-sur-le-Richelieu had one to go down to the cellar. But who is this woman and why does she come out of the basement? She discovers that this woman is hiding others. The idea of ​​a line of women stretching from New France to Chile sprouted in her head. She wrote a genealogy, a fabulous course.

Valentina, a young Chilean woman with the silhouette of an angel and afflicted by a mental disorder, arrives in Montreal with her mother Virginia, CEO of the Sorprendente company, who came to present her famous mayonnaise at a food fair and, following a dream, brought her “lost daughter” with her. While Virginia is busy at her presentation booth, Valentina wanders around Montreal where, from actual real encounters to hallucinated encounters, the fog on her ambiguous identity will rise.

Valparaiso… is inspired by current Latin American practices.

Meanwhile, in the archives of the Sisters of Providence, a forgotten chest resurfaces and unveils a fresco of fabrics telling the intimate and political story that links Valentina, her mother and their ancestors to this land of America. In a back and forth trip between the 19th and 21st centuries, between Quebec and Chile, Valparaíso questions the construction of the self through exile, the mother tongue, poetry, eros, history, genetics and more than anything, the folds of memory.

The actresses and actor in the play Valparaíso, Ximena Ferrer, Camila Forteza, Lesly Velasquez, Julie Vincent and Guillaume Champoux take up here a big challenge crossing Cape Horn like their heroines, traveling three centuries and embodying many roles. The language of the plays switches between French and Spanish, but surtitling will be integrated into the scenography.

In addition, the production will welcome on stage six citizens, tenants of Habitations Fullum where the chapel is located. These citizens will be trained to play by Julie Vincent and constitute the chorus of extras.

Valparaíso

Julie Vincent

Chapel of l’Espace Fullum, 1431 rue Fullum
October 10 to 14, and October 19 to 23, at 7:30 pm
Show presented in French and Spanish, with surtitles

Text: Dominick Parenteau-Lebeuf
Director: Julie Vincent
Director’s assistant: Camila Forteza
Dramaturgic advisor: Stéphane Lépine

With Guillaume Champoux, Ximena Ferrer, Camila Forteza, Lesly Velasquez and Julie Vincent

Choir La Traversée: Louise Aubry, Annie Couteau, Camila Forteza, Pierre-Ghislain Lafortune, Gérald Lemay and Madeleine Tremblay

Online ticketing at festivalphenomena.com
Tickets on sale on site one hour before the performance
(Cash or credit card only for payments at the door)
$20/$25

Infos : 514 495-1515
singuliernordsudpluriel.com/nord-sud
electriques.ca/phenomena/fr/

Images courtesy of Singulier Pluriel

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Singulier Pluriel produces and works with artists from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Canada. Seven productions were presented in Montreal and in the Accès Culture network. Shows have been shown in international festivals in South American capitals, but also in the network of independent theatres in Buenos Aires. Actors and designers pursue an exploration that seeks to bridge the gap between borders, as well as between the room and the stage.