National Arts Centre - Centre national des Arts Canada is our stage. Le Canada en scène.

Student Matinee

 Peau d’âne

A feminist fairy tale on stage

Nov 1, 2024

Babs Asper Theatre 1 Elgin Street Ottawa Canada

Against a pink background, we see the silhouette of a young girl who seems to be taking flight. She's wearing white tights and a black dress, and her upper body is a huge donkey's head.

In-person event
Français
Ages 14+
Approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes

Performance options	Start time	Language	Availability
Friday, November 1, 2024	10:30 am	French	Reserve

“Mirrors and metamorphoses ”

This performance is presented by NAC French Theatre

A girl is born in the straw of a strange phantasmagorical car-wash stable, already faced with a vicious question of gender: How many skins and costumes will she have to wear over her life to don all of the feminine identities society has in store for her? The surreal ambiance evokes an astounding metamorphosis, a moulting: the tale of a woman on a quest for a skin the colour of freedom.

When her mother dies, a young princess dons a magic female donkey’s skin to escape the lecherous gaze of her own father, the king, who has already begun hunting for someone to replace the queen at his side on the throne. This chilling tale is of a bygone era yet deals with burning current issues, presented in a unique theatre setting that mixes poetry, set wizardry, and wild anachronisms. For an extra touch of boldness all of the characters are portrayed by two magnetic performers, Sophie Cadieux and Éric Bernier.

Like a waking dream, this bewitching play created by actor and director Félix-Antoine Boutin will rekindle audiences memories of the technicolour films, iconographies and countless versions of this coming-of-age tale, in which a girl becomes a woman, and a brilliant dress becomes an interior landscape.

*Reality is okay, but sometimes it’s good to get away from it: teens aged 12 and over, who are fans of unusual and whimsical worlds, are invited!

Free workshops - Step Into Creation

In order to get a better handle on the world of creation, why not experience a thrilling moment with artists or those who gravitate around them? Learn more about their aspirations, collectively reflect on the big question that move them, or try your hand at their craft in playful fashion. Allow your students to fully immerse themselves in the world of the show, and offer them a richer experience overall.

This year, let the NAC’s French Theatre treat you to a visit from an artist in preparation for this student matinee performance. Hurry up and take advantage of this limited time offer! Make sure to include the request in your registration form for student matinee tickets.

This student matinee is only offered on condition of a minimal number of bookings.

Reserve now to guarantee availability!

$ 15 / student (HST included)

Reserve Now

Financial assistance

Arts Alive has limited financial aid available for schools in need.

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Adults & chaperones

1 Free adult per 15 students

Free admittance for personal support workers

$ 15 (HST included) for additional chaperons At the discretion of the National Arts Centre

Payment deadlines

3 weeks before the performance

Full payment is required by the payment deadline. The NAC reserves the right to cancel any orders submitted but not paid for by the payment deadline.

Seating

There are no reserved seats for NAC student matinee performances.

Instead of tickets you will receive a letter of admission and groups will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis at the performance.

The letter of admission will be issued upon receipt of full payment.

Planning your visit

For information on planning your visit to the NAC, including a floor map, guidelines for the main entrances, accessibility details, and more.

Plan Your Visit

If you have any questions, please contact us at education@nac-cna.ca

Artists

Text and direction Félix-Antoine Boutin

Text and direction Félix-Antoine Boutin

After graduating from the National Theatre School of Canada’s acting program in 2012, Félix-Antoine Boutin founded Création Dans la Chambre. Since then, the collective has created several shows: Un animal (mort), Koalas, Message personnel, Le sacre du printemps (Tout ce que je contiens), Les dévoilements simples (strip-tease), Archipel (150 Haïkus avant de mourir encore), Orphée Karaoké, and Petit guide pour disparaître doucement. In 2019, Félix-Antoine adapted and directed Ingmar Bergman’s Fanny and Alexander with Sophie Cadieux, and directed Rainer Werner Fassbiner’s The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant. His talent also extends to music (Mille Milles, Organ Mood, Lesser Evil, Dear Criminals, Paupière, Jesse Mac Cormack) and contemporary circus. Félix-Antoine has also collaborated with the CEAD on several occasions, directing Claude Gauvreau and Réjean Ducharme’s Théâtre à relire as well as several staged readings. In 2020, he directed Histoire populaire et sensationnelle by Gabriel Plante, winner of the 2016 Gratien Gélinas Prize.

Diplômé en interprétation de l’École nationale de théâtre du Canada en 2012, Félix-Antoine Boutin fonde à sa sortie, Création Dans la Chambre. Ce collectif a créé plusieurs spectacles depuis sa fondation : Un animal (mort), Koalas, Message personnel, Le sacre du printemps (Tout ce que je contiens), Les dévoilements simples (strip-tease), Archipel (150 Haïkus avant de mourir encore) Orphée Karaoké et Petit guide pour disparaître doucement. En 2019, il adapte et dirige avec Sophie Cadieux Fanny et Alexandre de Ingmar Bergan en plus de mettre en scène Les larmes amères de Petra Von Kant de Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Il met son talent à profit aussi en musique (Mille Milles, Organ Mood, Lesser Evil, Dear Criminals, Paupière, Jesse Mac Cormack) et en cirque contemporain. Le metteur en scène a aussi plusieurs fois collaboré avec le CEAD, en dirigeant les Théâtre à relire de Claude Gauvreau et de Réjean Ducharme, en plus de mettre en lecture plusieurs textes. En 2020, il met en scène Histoire Populaire et Sensationnelle de Gabriel Plante, récipiendaire du prix Gratien Gélinas en 2016.

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Text, direction, and interpretation Sophie Cadieux

Text, direction, and interpretation Sophie Cadieux

Dès sa sortie du Conservatoire d’art dramatique de Montréal en 2001, Sophie Cadieux se présente telle une artiste plurielle. Elle trace, tout particulièrement, son propre chemin dans l’espace théâtral montréalais en alignant plus d’une trentaine de titres comme interprète. Elle est également autrice, metteuse en scène, animatrice et conseillère artistique sur différents projets, en plus d’être une excellente improvisatrice. On l’a vue dans les séries télévisées Lâcher prise, Bête noire, L’échappée et Lou & Sophie. Au théâtre, sa feuille de route est bien garnie. Parmi les spectacles marquants dans lesquels elle s’est illustrée, mentionnons La fureur de ce que je pense (spectacle créé à partir de l’œuvre de Nelly Arcan et mis en scène par Marie Brassard), 4.48 Psychose (de Sarah Kane, mise en scène par Florent Siaud), La vie utile (d’Evelyne de la Chenelière, mis en scène par Marie Brassard), Les larmes amères de Petra von Kant (de Fassbinder, mis en scène par Félix-Antoine Boutin) et Disparu.e.s (de Tracy Letts, adapté et mis en scène par René Richard Cyr). Puis elle a brûlé les planches dans le solo Féministe pour Homme, croisement brillant entre le théâtre et le stand-up (de la Française Noémie de Lattre, adapté en québécois par Rébecca Deraspe et mis en scène par Alix Dufresne).

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Interpretation Éric Bernier

Interpretation Éric Bernier

Éric Bernier is known for his versatility as a stage and screen actor.

In recent years, he has appeared on stage in Whitehorse (directed by Simon Lacroix), Showtime, une grosse pièce de théâtre (dir. Projet Bocal), Pétrole (dir. Édith Patenaude), Je suis un produit (dir. Simon Boudreault), Les amoureux (dir. Catherine Vidal), and Last Night I Dreamt that Somebody Loved Me (dir. Angela Konrad), and played various quirky characters in Le mystère d’Irma Vep (dir. Martin Faucher).

Over the course of his career he has had the pleasure of being directed by Robert Lepage in the stage plays Les sept branches de la rivière Ota, Coriolan, Macbeth and La tempête, as well as in the film Nô.

Audiences will remember his outstanding performance as Nihad the executioner in Wajdi Mouawad’s Incendies, presented in Montréal and then on tour across Canada and Europe. He also took part in Pierre Lapointe’s Amours, délices et orgues, a show combining music, monologue and dance, directed by Sophie Cadieux.

On television, his roles in the series Les hauts et les bas de Sophie Paquin and Tout sur moi earned him many awards. He also appeared in the sitcoms Lâcher prise and Madame Lebrun, in the sketch show Drôles de Véronic, and more recently in the series Bracelets rouges, Haute démolition, La candidate, and Temps de chien, as well as in the zany Complétement lycée.

On the big screen, he recently appeared in Guillaume Lambert’s latest film, Niagara.

Au théâtre comme au petit écran, Éric Bernier est reconnu pour ses rôles diversifiés.

Sur scène, dans les dernières années, il a joué dans Whitehorse (m.e.s. de Simon Lacroix), Showtime, une grosse pièce de théâtre (m.e.s. du Projet Bocal), Pétrole (m.e.s. d’Édith Patenaude), Je suis un produit (m.e.s. de Simon Boudreault), Les amoureux (m.e.s. de Catherine Vidal), et Last Night I Dreamt that Somebody Loved Me (m.e.s. d’Angela Konrad), en plus d’incarner de nombreux personnages, tous plus fous les uns que les autres, dans Le mystère d’Irma Vep (m.e.s. de Martin Faucher).

Au cours de sa carrière, il a eu le plaisir d’être dirigé par Robert Lepage au théâtre, dans Les sept branches de la rivière Ota, Coriolan, Macbeth et La tempête, de même qu’au cinéma dans Nô.

On peut tou·te·s se souvenir de sa superbe prestation de Nihad le bourreau, dans la pièce Incendies de Wajdi Mouawad, présentée à Montréal puis en tournée canadienne et européenne. Il a aussi pris part au spectacle Amours, délices et orgues, de Pierre Lapointe, spectacle qui alliait musique, monologue et danse, dans une mise en scène de Sophie Cadieux.

À la télévision, ses rôles dans les séries Les hauts et les bas de Sophie Paquin et Tout sur moi lui ont valu bien des honneurs. On a également pu le voir dans les sitcoms Lâcher prise et Madame Lebrun, dans l’émission à sketchs Drôles de Véronic, et plus récemment dans les séries Bracelets rouges, Haute démolition, La candidate et Temps de chien, ainsi que dans la très déjantée Complétement lycée.

Au cinéma, il a récemment fait partie de la distribution du dernier long métrage Niagara de Guillaume Lambert.

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Text and direction Félix-Antoine Boutin and Sophie Cadieux
Based on the tale by Charles Perrault
With Sophie Cadieux and Éric Bernier
Dramaturgs Alexia Bürger and Elen Ewing
Assistant Director and Stage Manager Audrey Belzile
Costumes Elen Ewing
Set Design Max-Otto Fauteux
Lightning Julie Basse
Music Antoine Bédard
Makeup and Hairstyles Véronique St-Germain
Movement Simon Renaud
Production Théâtre Denise-Pelletier and Création Dans la Chambre
Co-Production NAC French Theatre

Financial assistance

Arts Alive has limited financial assistance available to support schools who would not otherwise be able to participate in our school programming due to economic barriers. Schools in need may request financial assistance directly through the registration form, to help cover the cost of tickets to student matinees or applicable workshops offered by the NAC. Learn more

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