Melanie’s son Benoit, age 8, has a pain that won’t go away, so she takes him to the dentist. Naturally, this results in an epic meltdown. You see, with Benoit, nothing is ever simple. The proof: once in the dentist’s chair, Benoit turns out to have a lot more than cavities inside his mouth… In the end, Melanie – with the help of a kindly alcoholic receptionist, and a dentist who prefers plants to people – must face the fact that her son’s problems are much larger than a simple toothache.
Le Soulier is a bipolar comedy, full of touching and relatable characters trying so very hard to be happy. David Paquet, who won the Governor-General’s Award for Literature in 2010 and the Prix auteur dramatique du Centre du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui in 2017, has written a hilarious and unsettling play in which empathy triumphs over illness.
JESSIES
Prix remportés (Category: Large Theatre)
Outstanding Performance by an actor: Félix Beauchamp
Outstanding Sound Design/Original Composition: Malcolm Dow
Georgia Straight Outstanding Direction: Esther Duquette & Gilles Poulin-Denis
Special award
Outstanding Original Script: David Paquet
Nominations (Category: Large Theatre)
Outstanding Production: Théâtre la Seizième
Outstanding Performance by an actor: Joey Lespérance
Outstanding Performance by an actor: France Perras
Outstanding Lighting Design: Itail Erdal
MELANIE
I’ll still go with him, though. Benoit’s not very comfortable with… life in general.
HELEN
Benoit, Mommy thinks you’re too maladjusted to be alone with the dentist. Is she right about that? (Benoit shakes his head.) Simeon, I think you have a profound desire to be alone with this child. Am I right about that? (Simeon shakes his head.) You see? They’re a perfect match! Besides, a little break would do you good, right?
Production Théâtre la Seizième
Text David Paquet
Direction Esther Duquette, Gilles Poulin-Denis
Cast Félix Beauchamp, Annie Lefebvre, Joey Lespérance, France Perras
Set, costumes and props Drew Facey
Sound Malcolm Dow
Lighting Itai Erdal
Movement Noam Gagnon
Stage Manager Dominique Cuerrier
Technical Direction Jeremy Baxter
Englis translation Leanna Brodie
- Entretien avec David Paquet
- Rachel Peake parle de David Paquet
- Reportage dans les coulisses du Soulier (Radio-Canada)
- Trois questions à la directrice artistique
- Critique de Vancouver Presents (en anglais)
- Critique de Jo Ledingham (en anglais)
- Critique du Georgia Straight (en anglais)
- "Tout auteur de théâtre est à la fois une éponge et un sculpteur"(Interview de David Paquet par Radio-Canada)
- "Vous allez rire de bon cœur" (Interview d'Annie Lefebvre par Radio-Canada)
- Une comédie bipolaire où l'empathie prend le dessus sur la maladie (Reportage par Radio-Canada)
