February 14, 2005 -

“One of two things will happen: either speech will triumph over eroticism,
or eroticism will triumph over speech.”
– Georges Bataille (transl.)

Ottawa, Ontario -- An office is a changeable space that mutates depending on its purpose, the size of the person using it, or its chronological context. As a space with a clearly-defined purpose, it can be reassuring — but it can also provoke anxiety. In Bureaux, the audience — the potential occupant of the space — is literally swept into a mad mixup of . . . offices (hence the play’s title).

In this spirited (in a theological sense) yet radical comedy, at once caustic and eccentric, playwright and director Alexis Martin investigates four themes at the forefront of contemporary consciousness: religion, death, illness, and, of course, sex. “Is nothing sacred any more?” is the question at the heart of this fable for our times, a light-hearted look at the search for sanctity in a world ruled by commercialism. Which might explain why God is now living in a janitor’s closet at a shopping centre!

The action takes place in present-day Montreal, but performances take place February 23 to 26 in Ottawa, more specifically in the Studio of the National Arts Centre (NAC). Seven actors portray 19 characters in a fine display of range and versatility. Interested? Come check it out: Guylaine Tremblay, François Papineau, Alexis Martin, Jacques L’Heureux, Julie Le Breton, Patrick Drolet and Stéphane Brulotte await you with open arms — just like Christ himself.

“One of the greatest pleasures of this witty satire is watching a group of accomplished actors personify — with an enjoyment as evident as it is contagious — a set of characters who are colourful, to say the least. We won’t soon forget the sex maniac with the impressive vocabulary, nor François Papineau’s mystical janitor/prophet, nor the feverish disciple and terse policewoman played by the wonderful Guylaine Tremblay, who plays four different characters. Julie Le Breton and Jacques L’Heureux, excellent as a monseigneur with shady intentions, also shine in a cast that inhabits multiple characters with effortless ease.”
– Marie Labrecque, Voir, April 2003

From the confessional to the cubicle

In the offices of a bishop, a shopping centre caretaker, a rabbi, a bishop, an East Indian doctor, two policemen and a psychiatrist, strange events are unfolding. What would happen if each of them, independently and almost subversively, tried to figure out the meaning of life? Sudden disappearances, unlikely groupings, bizarre rituals, assaults as warped as they are unexpected. The Batailliens, a sect devoted to spirituality and pornography in equal measure, take over a vicarage, while a monsignor devotes all his energy to fine-tuning the plans to transform abandoned churches into condominiums. Some seek answers in medicine — in all its forms, even the most far-fetched — while the faithful celebrate the Eucharist with doughnuts. After all, who knows? The Messiah might be lurking in the gloomy corridors of the administrative offices of the Galeries d’Anjou .

God may have been dead for over a century (if we believe the obituary notice written by Nietzsche), but His immeasurable presence haunts us still, and Alexis Martin has been relentlessly tracking Him down in such plays as Matroni et moi, Oreille, tigre et bruit, and Presbytère du Nord. Martin derives obvious pleasure from spiking everyday banalities with sudden flashes of the unexpected, the better to reveal what lies beneath the smooth and silent surface of outward appearances.

In Bureaux, Alexis Martin raises some big questions: “Where does religion fit into our society? Have we truly evacuated spirituality and religion from our active, conscious lives? Quebec — and to a lesser extent the rest of Canada — is undergoing a rapid and apparently irreversible movement away from the Church; however, what people are really moving away from is the traditional power of the monolithic churches — Catholic, Protestant, Anglican . . . but does that mean religion has actually been excised from our minds?” He goes on: “How do  we incorporate concepts of sanctity and ethics into our lives at a time when traditional Western religious institutions are in decline? How do we commemorate death in a secular society? What’s the purpose of sex if not procreation?” Unfortunately, the play, much like God Himself, provides no definite answers.

“In this deliberately dishevelled tale, Alexis Martin takes a caustic and eccentric look at a society
that is no longer sure which saints to venerate, obsessed as it is with commerce
as the ultimate meeting point.”

Tickets $30.00 (Students $16.00) On sale at the NAC Box Office (no service charges), through Ticketmaster (at all Ticketmaster outlets or by ‘phone, 613-755-1111) or online at www.nac-cna.ca

Groups of 20 or more receive up to 20% off regular ticket prices. For more information, call (613) 947-7000, ext. 384, or e-mail grp@nac-cna.ca

The National Arts Centre French Theatre gratefully acknowledges the support of Le Droit, Le Week-end Outaouais, and Radio-Canada (La Première Chaîne).