New translation of Canadian classic

New translation of Canadian classic Albertine in Five Times begins previews at the Shaw Festival

A new translation of Michel Tremblay's Albertine in Five Times (Albertine en Cinq Temps) begins previews Wednesday, June 24 at the Shaw Festival’Äôs Court House Theatre.

Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell, thrilled to have one of Canada’Äôs leading playwrights and his quintessential tragic heroine as part of this season’Äôs playbill, said: ’ÄúMichel Tremblay’Äôs Albertine ’Äì a fascinating, conflicted woman who refuses to take life’Äôs knocks lying down ’Äì is one of Quebec theatre’Äôs most celebrated characters. We welcome her and Michel ’Äì Canadian icons both ’Äì to our Festival’Äù.

Michel Tremblay first introduced audiences to Albertine, one of his greatest loves, in 1966. She quickly became a Quˆ©bˆ©cois phenomenon appearing frequently in his plays and novels. Albertine en Cinq Temps, written in 1984, made its English premiere as Albertine in Five Times at the Tarragon Theatre in 1986. The play won the 1986 Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award and has been produced around the world in English, Danish, Hindi, Japanese, Spanish and German.

Directed by Micheline Chevrier, this new translation of Albertine in Five Times by Governor General’Äôs Award winner Linda Gaboriau has Quˆ©bˆ©cois theatre’Äôs most iconic character interacting with five versions of herself in varying stages of her life. The five Albertines review a lifetime of past pains, loves and losses. Their sister Madeleine is there to console, counsel and bear witness to how, for seventy years, Albertine’Äôs spirit has suffered, struggled, flourished and survived.

Albertine, in five pivotal stages of her life, is portrayed by Patricia Hamilton (who also starred in the original English production of the play), Wendy Thatcher, Mary Haney, Jenny L. Wright and Marla McLean with Nicolˆ° Correia-Damude as Madeleine. Albertine in Five Times is designed by Teresa Przybylski, with lighting design by Ereca Hassell and original music and sound design by Marc Desormeaux. The stage management team includes Stage Manager Dora Tomassi and Assistant Stage Manager Leigh McClymont.

Albertine in Five Times preview performances begin on Wednesday, June 24; opens Friday, July 10; and plays in repertory until Saturday, October 10.

The Shaw Festival produces and presents the work of George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) and playwrights writing anywhere in the world during, or about, the era of Shaw’Äôs lifetime ’Äì plays about the beginning of the modern world.