La Seizième

In a summer residence in post-Victorian England, two women give way to their most intimate musings. Mrs. Ramsay, the model lady of the house, seeks happiness through marriage, while Lily Briscoe, a fiercely independent artist, dreams of life as a painter. Although everything seems to oppose them – matrimony, children, art – the flow of their meditations reveals a fascinating game of mirrors in which their unspoken desires are reflected. Ten years later, war has emptied the home and left its ghosts…

Led by actresses Florence Viala and Aymeline Alix of the prestigious Comédie-Française troupe, this ambitious production marks the eighth collaboration between playwright Evelyne de la Chenelière and director Florent Siaud. Once again, they combine their talent and artistic sensitivity to create a dreamlike adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s masterpiece To the Lighthouse. Following an acclaimed world premiere in Paris on May 13, Lumières, lumières, lumières will tour France and Eastern Canada before reaching Vancouver. Théâtre la Seizième will present the production from October 14 to 17, 2026 at Studio 16.

A leading voice in Quebec dramaturgy, Evelyne de la Chenelière is an acclaimed playwright, recipient of the 2020 Marcel-Dubé Award and finalist for the 2019 Governor General’s Literary Awards.s. Her rich and perceptive look on humanity is filled with humour and ingenious subtext (do you remember Bashir Lazhar, presented in in 2008 or our production Des fraises en janvier in 2014 ). Her prolific artistic partnership with Florent Siaud once again delivers a powerful theatrical experience. Artistic director of the Quebec-based company Les songes turbulents, Florent Siaud is known for his striking work in both theatre (4.48 Psychose, Toccate et fugue, Les enivrés, Britannicus) and opera (La beauté du monde).

Together, they take on nothing less than the work of one of the world’s greatest writers. Celebrated for her avant-garde vision, mysterious literary universe, and powerful female characters, Virginia Woolf (1882–1941) left an indelible mark on twentieth-century literature. Among her major works are To the Lighthouse (ranked fifth on the Modern Library’s list of the 100 best English-language novels of the twentieth century in 1998), Jacob’s Room, Mrs Dalloway, Orlando, The Waves, and A Room of One’s Own, a landmark feminist text advocating for women’s emancipation.

Lumières, lumières, lumières, from October 14 to 17 at Studio 16, in French with English surtitles. Pre-sales now open through our box office, with reduced pricing available until September 3.

Photos: Florence Viala and Aymeline Alix from the Troupe de la Comédie-Française © Agathe Poupeney