Feb. 02, 2011 - Issue #798 : Communion
Language barrier
As a play written by noted Québécois playwright Carol Fréchette and performed entirely in French, La Peau d'Élisa (Elisa's Skin) may seem like an intimidating performance to anglophones. However, Edmonton's L'Uni Théâtre aims to dispel any intimidation by including English surtitles in its production, as well as emphasizing the universality of the story. "We certainly hope to draw an audience from both cultures," notes Holly Turner, who plays the central character of Elisa. "There's no particularly French or Québécois aspect to it; it's as universal as any Eugene O'Neill play."Turner describes working solely in the French language as a challenging but rewarding experience. She learned French in high school and speaks it reasonably well, but she had never performed in French; working on this play forced her to hone her grammar and perfect her nuance. "But it's really been fun," Turner states. "I mean, what actress has never wanted to pretend she was Catherine Deneuve?"
As suggested by the title, Elisa's skin is used as a metaphor for depicting both aging and the passage of time. The script is nonlinear, jumping forward and backward in time as Elisa recounts stories of her past lovers and reflects upon her present situation. Turner notes that the set was designed specifically to visualize these themes.
"It is a play that is open to numerous different scenic interpretations," she says. "The set itself is going to have sand and water. There's a lot of movement and sensuality." Turner goes on to explain that past productions have tended to take a minimalist approach to set design, so this particular production is a bit of an oddity.
Though there are two characters in the play—Elisa and the Young Man—Turner notes that it is "practically" a one-woman show. The Young Man is integral to the story, but he acts as more of a foil to Elisa and her recollections. Turner also notes that, despite the themes of aging and lost love, this is not a cheerless, melancholic performance.
"The play itself is actually very uplifting: it's full of the joy of life and the pleasure of sensual encounters."
These themes are better evidence than anything else of the play's universal appeal—you certainly don't need to speak another language to understand them. V
Thu, Feb 3 – Sat, Feb 5; Thu, Feb 10 – Sat, Feb 12 (8 pm)
Sun, Feb 6; Sun, Feb 13 (2 pm)
La Peau d'Élisa (Elisa's Skin)
French with English Surtitles
Written by Carol Fréchette
Directed by Daniel Cournoyer
La Cité francophone (8627 - 91 st),
$16 – $25 vueweekly.com comments: powered by Disqus
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