La Seizième

Photo Cory Haas © Gaëtan Nerincx / Richard Wolfe © Pi Theatre

Tell us about your choice to present Polygraph in a staged reading… 

Cory Haas: Last season, we reconnected with Pi Theatre, a company I hold in high regard for the quality of its work in Vancouver. Pi and la Seizième have a significant history, having transcended the language barrier by presenting Quebecois readings and shows on stage in the 90s. For la Seizième’s 50th anniversary, I decided to program a series of readings of landmark texts that resonate with our history, one from each decade. I thought it would be a great opportunity to continue this relationship, especially since Pi is celebrating its 40th anniversary! While digging through our archives, I immediately became interested in this show, with themes that are still relevant today, and I reached out to Richard.

Richard Wolfe: Cory approached me with the idea of coming together to celebrate the anniversaries of Pi and la Seizième by revisiting Polygraph, a show the companies did together in 1992. Because of my continued interest in the work of Quebec artists, and because Cory and I share a certain theatrical taste, I thought that was a great idea. 

How has this play been significant for both la Seizième and Pi Theatre? 

C. H.: For the first time, Lepage gave these companies permission to stage one of his texts without his direct involvement! The reception of the show was all the more significant in the history of our companies.

 R. W.: Polygraph was always considered a milestone in Pi’s history. Having Lepage and Brassard green light a production of their show outside their company was a real event. And in 1992 Lepage himself was near the beginning of the critical assent that would eventually have him become one of the most highly regarded theatre creators on the planet. Pi was only 8 years old when we did the piece with la Seizième. It was an exciting time. Pi was also at the forefront of presenting Quebec work in translation at that time, so working with la Seizième was particularly important for the company.  

The signature style of Robert Lepage is very strong visually, almost cinematic. Polygraph was even adapted into a film. Did you focus on this aspect while directing the reading?

C. H.: For the needs of a performative reading like this one, we focused on distilling the visual signature to create strong images. A unique world is built for each scene of the show, while leaving space for the twists and turns of the story. We also wanted to play with the language of the piece. The scenes alternate between French and English, which sometimes blend together.

R. W.: We focused on telling the story of the piece, largely through the language and the characters relationships. We’re using projections and sound to highlight parts of the story visually and verbally. We only have five days to stage and produce the reading, which is really different from a production that has four weeks of rehearsal. That said, we’re conscious of the visual poetry and are trying our best not to lose those moments.

35 years later, how does the text resonate today? 

R. W.: The foundational metaphor in the play is a wall. The show looks at the many ways we are separated – individuals are separated from truth, from history and from each other through language, through culture, through sexual orientation and sexual practice and much more. Even though the biggest real-life representation of that metaphor at the time was the Berlin Wall, the metaphor of a wall between us is as present as it’s ever been. 

C. H.: Even though the Wall is no longer there, its representation is still felt in political and social spheres. The viewpoints we hold are sometimes subjective. Truth can easily be manipulated, blurring the way we perceive things. In this sense, I believe Polygraph still resonates.

You need to convince ten people to come and see the performance. What would you say to them? 

C. H.: Three characters, a murder, a play full of twists that will keep you doubting until the very end. Celebrate two Vancouver companies and the work of an artistic team that puts together a reading in just one week!

R. W.: It’s an opportunity to revisit a seminal play by two seminal Quebec artists performed by great Vancouver actors in French and English, with an amazing design team, in a cool atmosphere. And the bar will be open!