In the beginning, there was a book: The Song of Roland, an epic poem written in old French with a hero whose name comes from the distant past. And what a hero! A true knight, not the kind who slays dragons and rescues princesses, but the kind who does his duty: going to war.
Roland (la vérité du vainqueur) is the tale of a man who becomes a legend; the tale of a holy war between Christians and Muslims (an ancient story still unresolved); and the tale of a fascinating, captivating, horrendous book. A book that will change the course of History…
A duo duel between storytellers, armed with puppets.
Creative team
Author and director: Olivier Ducas
Performers (first run): Daniel Desparois and Geoffrey Gaquère
Performers (on tour): Étienne Blanchette and Daniel Desparois (alternating with Alexandre Leroux)
Assistant director: Claudia Couture
Scenography: Julie Vallée-Léger et Déline Pétrone
Sound design: Benoît Durand-Jodoin
Lighting design: Thomas Godefroid
Production and lighting director: Julie Brosseau-Doré
Sound: Amélie-Claude Riopel
Awards
– Accès culture prize awarded by the bourse RIDEAU (2009)
– Nominated in the “Best show for young audiences” category by the Association québécoise des critiques de théâtre.
Press reviews
“The deeply moving story of Roland is irresistibly told using objects, of course — paper-cut silhouettes, a clothes line, a metal pail, amazing helmets made out of cardboard, rolls of images scrolling before our eyes — but also using projectors and by playing with shadows, striking in their grotesqueness.”
(Le Devoir / May 2008)
“The journey is captivating and irresistibly funny. The music is as epic as it should be. A compelling reinterpretation of this story.”
(Voir Montréal / May 2008)
(Revue Esse No. 54 / 2005)
Performance history (summary)
2015
Le Grand T, scène conventionnée (Nantes, France)
Le Grand lieu (La Chevrolière, France)
Le Préambule (Ligné, France)
Théâtre de Verre (Châteaubriant, France)
Centre culture Athanor (Guérande, France)
Carré d’argent (Pontchâteau, France)
La Comète, scène nationale (Châlons-en-Champagne, France)
2014
Espace culturel de la plaine de Millet / Cinéma Vertigo (Graulhet, France)
Espace Yves Roques (Decazeville, France)
Pôle Culture et Patrimoine (Fumel, France)
Centre culturel (Ramonville, France)
Espace des Augustins (Montaubon, France)
Odyssud (Toulouse, France)
Festival Géo-Condé (France)
2013
Festival Momix (Kingersheim, France)
Théâtre de Mazade (Aubenas, France)
Centre Simone Signoret (Canéjan, France)
ACB, scène nationale (Bar-le-Duc, France)
Relais culturel régional (Thann, France)
Espace Grun (Cernay, France)
Espace Ried Brun (Muntzenheim, France)
Théâtre Guy-Sabatier de la Maison des Arts et Loisirs (Laon, France)
Théâtre Na Loa (Pennautier, France)
Théâtre des 3 ponts (Castelnaudary, France)
Espace Cathare (Quillan, France)
2012
Théâtre Aux Écuries (Montréal)
Festival Salles Mômes (Hennebont, France)
Festival théâtral du Val d’Oise (région parisienne, France)
Festival Marionettissimo (Tournefeuille, France)
2011
Rencontre Théâtre Ados (Laval)
Festival À pas contés (Dijon, France)
Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes de Charleville-Mézières (France)
Festival Les Francophonies de Limoges (France)
Tournée au Québec
2010
Festival Méli’Môme (Reims, France)
Centre National des Arts (Ottawa)
Tournée des Maisons de la culture du Québec et dans d’autres lieux du Québec
2009
Festival du monde arabe (Montréal)
Tournée au Québec
Salle Jean-Claude-Germain du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui – CRÉATION (Montréal)
Maison de la culture du Plateau Mont-Royal (Montréal)
Illustration Patrick Lamoureux
Documents
Press kit (pdf)
Dossier pédagogique (pdf)