TravCast - New Writing from Theatre La Licorne

Traverse Theatre

TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatremakers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to three Québécois writers Fabien Cloutier, Catherine-Anne Toupin and François Archambault who came to the Traverse Theatre as part of a cultural exchange between Théâtre La Licorne, Montreal and the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. La Licorne is the home of La Manufacture Theatre Company in Montreal, founded in 1975. It mirrors some of the key passions of the Traverse Theatre, commissioning and producing some of the best new writing from Québec and beyond, presenting a significant number of Traverse plays in translation. Over the last few years, Traverse Theatre Artistic Director Orla O'Loughlin has worked closely with La Licorne Artistic Director Jean-Denis Leduc and this exchange is part of a long term relationship between these two pioneering theatres. François Archambault, writer of 'You Will Remember Me', performed at the Traverse as part of New Writing from Quebec, is the author of more than twenty plays, translated into numerous languages and staged all around the world. In 1998, he received the Governor General’s Literary Award for his play '15 seconds', performed by Traverse Theatre Company in 2003. The original production of 'The Leisure Society' by Théâtre de la Manufacture ran for 142 shows and received the "Masque" for the Best Original Play from the "Académie Québécoise", in 2004. His most recent play, You Will Remember Me' was created at Théâtre La Licorne in 2014 and is set to be adapted for the screen and in the running for the Governor General’s Literary Award. François has also written many scripts for television, and is currently working on two screenplays. A rising star in the Quebec theatre scene, Fabien Cloutier, writer of 'Billy (The Days of Howling)' performed at the performed at the Traverse as part of New Writing from Quebec, is a Québécois actor, playwright and the author of eight plays. His first solo show, Scotstown won the "Coup de coeur" at Zoofest in the 2010 Just For Laughs Festival. Fabien reprised the same character in the sequel, Cranbourne, described as a "tour de force" by critics and was a finalist for the Michel Tremblay Prize, Best Writing for the stage in the 2011-2012 season. Fabien Cloutier's powerful writing with its relentless rhythm has earned him a solid reputation. His more theatrical text 'Billy (The Days of Howling)' won the Gratien Gelinas Prize in 2011 and has been nominated for the Governor General's Literary Award. Talisman's 2014 production will be the English-language premiere of 'Billy (The Days of Howling)'. In autumn 2014, 'Pour Réussir un Poulet' written and directed by Fabien, was produced by La Manufacture Theatre and presented on stage at Théâtre La Licorne in Montreal. Catherine-Anne Toupin, writer of 'Right Here, Right Now' performed at the performed at the Traverse as part of New Writing from Quebec, graduated from The Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in Montreal in 1999. She has become a well-known actress in Quebec and can be seen each week on two very popular television series. She has also written three full length plays, and many short plays, which have all been produced. She spends most of her time acting, both on stage and on screen while also working as a script editor for a television show she created, called 'Boomerang'. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain www.grobylinctonmedia.com