Theatre life, Act 1

Since Ottawa’s beginnings, theatre has been at the heart of the city’s cultural life. According to Marcel Fortin, no less than 489 French-language drama performances take place in the national capital between 1850 and 1913. This number is all the more impressive considering the real size of Ottawa at the time – quite small compared to metropolises like Montréal or Toronto. It is, in fact, the federal public service which provides an educated and loyal audience for the performances.

The number of theatrical productions continues to increase steadily: 894 performances between 1913 and 1930; 1,181 between 1930 and 1940; and approximately 750 per decade from 1940 to 1960. While Ottawa has several amateur theatre groups, a large proportion of these plays are staged by theatre companies from Quebec, other Canadian provinces or France. The Cercle Molière of Saint-Boniface, for example, whose actors include a certain Gabrielle Roy, participate in the 1934 Festival national d’art dramatique, winning the trophy for French drama. Productions during this period are mainly repertory theatre; local creations are scarcer.

Franco-Ontarian literature specialists Lucie Hotte and Johanne Melançon are able to count no more than forty Ottawa playwrights whose plays are performed between 1850 and 1968. Among them, Régis Roy – whose grandfather, interestingly, is one of the pioneers of Bytown, settling there in 1830 when the community is still just a logging settlement– warrants special mention. 

Régis Roy is born in Bytown in 1864, the first Francophone writer native to Ontario. After studying at the Académie De-La-Salle, he embarks on a career in the federal public service, like many Ottawa writers after him. But it is as a writer that he makes a name for himself. Régis Roy is a prolific author, trying his hand at almost every literary genre: drama, tales, short stories, novels and historical works. His preferred genre is nonetheless comedy, which he explores in the play Nous divorçons! published in Montréal in 1897.

The play features a couple, Louis and Claire, who seek a divorce, a very avant-garde subject at the time. It should be noted that, until the 1960s, Canadian couples who wanted to divorce had to obtain authorization from the Canadian Senate. In the play, the challenge of divorce is approached through a play on words, with the couple’s lawyer claiming that separation is impossible because Claire would become deaf and Louis would become blind. Indeed, as Louis explains to his wife: “Claire would lose Louis, and I would no longer see Claire.”1 Fortunately, the couple has already chosen to stay together. But this final rejoinder illustrates Roy’s sharp sense of humour!

 

1 Régis Roy, “Nous divorçons !,”  in  Mariel O’Neill-Karch and Pierre Karch (eds.), Théâtre comique de Régis Roy (1864-1944), Ottawa, Éditions David, “Voix retrouvées” collection, 2006, p. 153 (translated from the original). In French, Louis and L’ouie – for hearing-  as well as Claire et clair –for clearly- sound identical, which creates a very witty pun.

i

A group of actors, including Léonard Beaulne, in the front, holding a stick [ca. 1912].

University of Ottawa, CRCCF,  Fonds Léonard-Beaulne (P198), Ph164-262.
 

Sepia photography of a group of around thirty men, standing in a semicircle, posing for the camera. They wear suits and ties, except for two who wear kilts. In the centre, a man sits on the floor in front of a drum set. Behind the group, five men sit on a platform draped with a British flag.

Régis Roy

Régis Roy, civil servant, writer and historian [ca. 1900]. Taken from a mosaic of young Canadian literary figures. 

University of Ottawa, CRCCF, Fonds Régis-Roy (P245), Ph185-1L.

Black and white studio photograph of a mature man. He wears a three-piece suit, bow tie and glasses. His salt and pepper hair is combed back. He wears a serious expression.

Nous divorçons!

Nous divorçons!, a one-act comedy by Régis Roy, published in Montréal, C.O. Beauchemin & Fils, 1897, cover and p. 22-23. In the play's first edition, the main characters are called Joseph et Josephte. The author later changed their name to Louis and Claire to better illustrate the loss they would have suffered had they divorced. 

University of Ottawa, CRCCF, Fonds Régis-Roy (P245), P245/4/3.

Front cover of a French publication, printed on yellow card stock. The dialogue that serves as the finale of the play appears on pages 22-23. The lyrics and music of a song entitled “Nous divorçons” appear on page 24. A handwritten annotation indicates changes to be made to the text.
Front cover of a French publication, printed on yellow card stock. The dialogue that serves as the finale of the play appears on pages 22-23. The lyrics and music of a song entitled “Nous divorçons” appear on page 24. A handwritten annotation indicates changes to be made to the text.Front cover of a French publication, printed on yellow card stock. The dialogue that serves as the finale of the play appears on pages 22-23. The lyrics and music of a song entitled “Nous divorçons” appear on page 24. A handwritten annotation indicates changes to be made to the text.

Le Caveau presents the play Maria Chapdelaine by Paul Gury

Le Caveau presents the play Maria Chapdelaine by Paul Gury. In the play – winner of the Dominion Drama Festival Award in London – the child is played by Denis Boucher, and Father Chapdelaine (standing with the pipe) is played by Albert Boucher, Ottawa, March 7, 1947. The Corporation des diseurs du Caveau theatre group is founded by the Dominicans of Ottawa’s Saint-Jean-Baptiste Parish in 1932. Active on stage for nearly twenty years, the troupe contributes to the extraordinary vitality of regional amateur theatre. Photo: Paul Taillefer. 

University of Ottawa, CRCCF, Fonds Albert-Boucher (P180).

Black and white photograph of a scene from a play. About fifteen actors, men and women, dressed as early French settler and travellers. The set is the inside of a log house.

Program of the play Les Patriotes by Fulgence Charpentier

Program of the play Les Patriotes by Fulgence Charpentier, presented at the Ottawa Little Theatre, February 8-9, 1938, cover page and pp. 2-3. Le Caveau produces 70 plays in its 20 years of existence, including some by Franco-Ontarian authors, establishing itself as one of the region’s most innovative theatre clubs.

University of Ottawa, CRCCF, Fonds Association des confrères artistes du Caveau (C112), C112/1/7.

Program of a printed play, in French. On the cover, a B&W photograph of a middle-aged man in a suit and tie. Also included: the title of the play; the name of the author, director, and producer; performance location and dates. The summary of the three-act play, and cast list is featured inside.
Program of a printed play, in French. On the cover, a B&W photograph of a middle-aged man in a suit and tie. Also included: the title of the play; the name of the author, director, and producer; performance location and dates. The summary of the three-act play, and cast list is featured inside.Program of a printed play, in French. On the cover, a B&W photograph of a middle-aged man in a suit and tie. Also included: the title of the play; the name of the author, director, and producer; performance location and dates. The summary of the three-act play, and cast list is featured inside.

L’inconception

Poster announcing the play L’inconception by Robert Marinier, a playwright from Sudbury. As an actor, he is also a member of the National Arts Centre resident company. His play, presented in co-production with Montréal’s Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui, is staged for a month, from November 8 to December 8, 1983.

Robert Marinier collection, l’inconception.

Poster in shades of purple and pink, with text printed in French. In the centre of the image, Rodin’s thinker, sitting on a balloon. At the top, the title, in lower case letters. On the left, the cast list. At the bottom, the performance place and date, along with ticket office details.
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