Zones Théâtrales 2007

In collaboration with Anne Tanguay, National Arts Centre

The Festival Zones Théâtrales, produced by the National Arts Centre French Theatre, was held from September 6 to 15, 2007, at various locations in the Ottawa/Gatineau region. The mandate of this biennial event is to present professional theatre performances created by artists from Canadian Francophone communities and regions of Quebec. According to Paul Lefebvre, Artistic Manager of the Festival, "this second edition confirmed that this event is the main meeting place for theatre artists and tradespeople from the Canadian Francophonie."

As during the 2005 edition, the Festival was marked by collaboration with the Centre des auteurs dramatiques for a series of four readings. Note that of the four texts read in 2005, three have since been produced professionally. This year the audience could attend the reading of six texts of the Rideau Project, created in partnership with the Magnetic North Theatre Festival and the Théâtre la Catapulte. Those texts will be the basis for six short plays–three in English and three in French–by Ottawa/Gatineau region playwrights, to be staged in 2009.

One Festival highlight was unquestionably the lecture by Graham Fraser, Commissioner of Official Languages, the topic of which was Les Arts et l'épanouissement des collectivités francophones en situation minoritaire [the arts and the vitality of minority Francophone communities]. As Mr. Fraser emphasized in his speech, "the Festival Zones Théâtrales clearly shows that Francophone communities across Canada know how to blend heritage with creation, and do it brilliantly. Choosing theatre is choosing community action, because theatre distils the essence of community life."

Many heartfelt moments and meetings arose from the Festival between the National Capital Region audience and artists from Ontario, Acadia, Quebec, British Columbia and the Prairies, as well as meetings between artists and many Canadian producers, artistic directors and other performance professionals. Over ten days, close to 4,000 festival-goers attended the ten different productions and participated in activities of the Free Zone ("mornings after the night before"), the Interactive Zone (readings, lectures and round table discussions) and the Grey Zone (cocktail hour and after-hours). There was also a 22 percent increase in attendance compared to the first edition in 2005.

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