The Andersen Project Created and directed Robert Lepage performed by Yves Jacques Production Ex Machina The Andersen Project - A Modern Fairy-Tale Having come to Paris at the behest of the Opéra Garnier, which has commissioned him to write the libretto for a children’s opera based on a fairy-tale by Hans Christian Andersen, a Québécois songwriter settles down in a friend’s apartment, rue Saint- Denis. During his stay, he necessarily meets people: one of the Opéra’s senior managers (a man with some odd and unusual likings), a young janitor and graffiti artist of North African descent, as well as a dog who could well be guiding the tale along its way. Freely inspired from two stories by Andersen (The Dryad and The Shadow) and from anecdotes drawn from the famed Danish author’s Parisian travels, the Andersen project calls on some of Lepage’s recurring themes: the confrontation between romanticism and modernism, between recognized and underground art forms, between past and present. However, in this new solo work, he also explores more troubling territories: questions about sexual identity, unfulfilled fantasies and a thirst for recognition and fame that are drawn from Andersen’s life and writings, only to serve as a filigree to the modern tale. Once again, Lepage tells the story of a Québécois whose travels abroad and meetings with Others allow him to find out what defines, motivates and inspires him. Creation 22 February - 26 March 2005: Quebec (Quebec, Canada) Yves Jacques His career led him from his native Quebec City to Montreal, then Paris where he’s been playing since, on stage as well as in movies. Working with French Canadian director Denis Arcand, on 5 films including Decline of the American Empire, Jesus of Montreal and the Barbarian Invasions, along with French director Claude Miller with whom he worked on 7 films including La Chambre des Magiciennes, La petite Lily and Voyez Comme ils Dansent, confirmed his talent, and his renown grew steadily in France and in Quebec. On stage, he has been touring worldwide for almost ten years with two Robert Lepage’s plays, The Far Side of the Moon (from 2001) and The Andersen Project (from 2007) in their French and English versions. His work with Lepage made Luc Bondy, the late © Monic Richard Director of the Odéon Théâtre de l’Europe in Paris, to offer him to play alongside Isabelle Huppert in Marivaux's Les Fausses Confidences (False Acquaintances). A film inspired by the play was also produced for ARTE with the same director and cast. Other directors with whom Yves had the privilege to work include, Xavier Dolan Laurence Anyways, Jean-Paul Rappenneau Belles Familles, Olivier Dahan Grace of Monaco, as well as Martin Scorsese Aviator. Yves Jacques was appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, in February 2001, and he is an Officer of the Order of Canada since 2009 for his achievements as an actor in theater, television and film, in Canada and abroad. Robert Lepage Versatile in every form of theatre craft, Robert Lepage is equally talented as a director, playwright, actor and film director. His creative and original approach to theatre has won him international acclaim and shaken the dogma of classical stage direction to its foundations, especially through his use of new technologies. He graduated from the Conservatoire d’art dramatique de Québec and studied in Paris in 1978. In 1984, his play Circulations toured Canada. Followed The Dragons’ Trilogy (1985), Vinci (1986), Polygraph (1987) and Tectonic Plates (1988). © Jocelyn Michel / Consulat ( leconsulat.ca ) From 1989 to 1993 he was Artistic Director of the Théâtre français at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Meanwhile pursuing his own creative projects, he directed Needles and Opium (1991), Coriolanus, Macbeth, and The Tempest (1992). With A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1992 he became the first North American to direct a Shakespeare play at the Royal National Theatre in London. In 1994, he founded Ex Machina, then wrote and directed his first feature film, Le Confessional. Followed Polygraph (1996), Nô (1997), Possible Worlds (2000), and The Far Side of the Moon (2003). In 2013, he codirects Triptych with Pedro Pires, an adaptation of the play Lipsynch. With Ex Machina, he creates for the stage The Seven Streams of the River Ota (1994), Geometry of Miracles (1998), The Far Side of The Moon (2000), a new version of The Dragons’ Trilogy (2003), The Andersen Project (2005), Lipsynch (2007), The Blue Dragon (2008) and Eonnagata (2009). Current productions include Playing Cards (2012): SPADES, HEARTS, DIAMONDS and CLUBS, each exploring a universe inspired by the asset the suit represents), a new staging of Needles and Opium (2013), and 887, a solo performance by Robert Lepage (2015). Robert Lepage directed Peter Gabriel’s Secret World Tour (1993) and Growing Up Tour (2002), designed and directed Cirque du Soleil shows KÀ (2005) and TOTEM (2010). For Quebec City’s 400th anniversary in 2008, Robert Lepage and Ex Machina created the largest architectural projection ever achieved: The Image Mill. As part of the festivities surrounding the Grand Bibliothèque’s 10th anniversary, Ex Machina has created, based on an original idea by Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, an exhibition inspired by Alberto Manguel’s The Library at Night. Multifaceted, The Library at Night (2015) embarks visitors on a journey through 10 libraries across the world, real or imagined, by means of virtual reality. Robert Lepage made a grand entrance in the opera world with Bluebeard’s Castle and Erwartung (1993). His continued with La Damnation de Faust (1999). Followed 1984 (2005) based on the novel by George Orwell, with Maestro Lorin Maazel providing the musical direction, The Rake’s Progress (2007) and The Nightingale and Other short Fables (2009). Das Rheingold, Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen prelude, premiered September 2010 at The Metropolitan Opera with the cycle being presented during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons. His latest staging include The Tempest (2012), by Thomas Adès, libretto by Meredith Oakes, based on William Shakespeare’s eponymous play, and L'Amour de loin (2015), with music by Kaija Saariaho and a libretto by Amin Maalouf. Robert Lepage’s work has been recognized by many awards. Among the most important:the Légion d’honneur (2002); the Denise Pelletier Prize (2003); the Hans Christian Andersen Prize (2004) for his outstanding artistic contribution to honouring Hans Christian Andersen worldwide; the Stanislavski Award (2005) for his contribution to international theatre; the Festival de l’Union des Théâtres de l’Europe honoured him with the distinguished Prix Europe (2007), previously awarded to Ariane Mnouchkine and Bob Wilson among others; the Médaille de la ville de Québec (2011); and the Eugene McDermott Award in the Arts at MIT (2012). In 2013, he became the recipient of the Tenth Glenn Gould Prize awarded by the Glenn Gould Foundation. Credits Written and directed by Robert Lepage Performed by Yves Jacques Script Collaborators Peder Bjurman, Marie Gignac Assistant Director Félix Dagenais Associate Set Designer Jean Le Bourdais Associate Lighting Designer Nicolas Marois Sound Designer Jean-Sébastien Côté Costume Designer Catherine Higgins Properties Marie-France Larivière Puppeteer Normand Poirier Images produced by Jacques Collin, Véronique Couturier, David Leclerc Wig Master Richard Hansen Robert Lepage's agent Lynda Beaulieu Production Manager Louise Roussel Production Assistant Marie-Pierre Gagné Tour Manager Isabelle Lapointe Technical Director Serge Côté Technical Director (touring) Eric Gautron Stage Manager Nathalie Godbout Lighting Manager Félix Bernier Guimond Sound Manager Caroline Turcot Video Manager Nicolas Dostie Wardrobe and Prop Manager Isabel Poulin Head Stagehand Simon Cloutier Technical Consultant Tobie Horswill Collaboration to the improvisational and creative process Normand Poirier Make-up Nathalie Gagné Assistant to the Costume Designer Jennifer Tremblay Costumes Cutter Nicole Fortin Seamstress Hélène Ruel Musics Una Furtiva Lagrima by Gaetano Donizetti, performed by Vincenzo La Scola, used by arrangement with Naxos of America Sonate pour violon et piano #1 en Fa majeur by Edvard Grieg, performed by Olivier Charlier and Brigitte Engerer, used by arrangement with Harmonia Mundi Sweet Surrender (DJ Tiësto Remix) by Sarah McLachlan, used by arrangement with Tyde Music & Nettwerk Productions Pas de deux (from the ballet Le Papillon) by Jacques Offenbach, performed by John Georgiadis, used by arrangement with Universal Music Canada for Decca London Set building Les Conceptions visuelles Jean-Marc Cyr Horse's cart Maker Martin Beausoleil Sculpture Maker ("Femme piquée par un serpent") Patrick Binette Lighting Designer's Trainee (creation) Jennifer Jimenez (Theatre Ontario's Professional Theatre Training Program) Audioguide voice Ulla Henningsen Production Ex Machina Co-production Auckland Festival Bite:06, Barbican, London Bonlieu Scène Nationale, Annecy Festival de Otoño de la Comunidad de Madrid Cal Performances, Berkeley Célestins, Théâtre de Lyon Change Performing Arts, Milan La Comète (scène nationale de Châlons-en-Champagne) La Coursive, La Rochelle Le Festival d'automne à Paris Le Grand Théâtre de Québec Le Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, Montréal Le Théâtre du Trident, Québec Le Théâtre français du Centre national des Arts d'Ottawa Le Théâtre National de Bordeaux Aquitaine Le Théâtre National de Chaillot Le Théâtre National de Toulouse