Four tourists walk into a theater with no regard for rules or decorum…
By turns careless and carefree, hilarious and absurd, these impetuous explorers interact with their surroundings, triggering a series of ordinary accidents and mundane mishaps. This small sample of humanity, linked together by improbable situations, gradually transforms the empty space of the stage into a universe filled with possibilities.
With sharp wit and a keen eye for the unexpected, Alix Dufresne and Étienne Lepage shake up both theatrical and social norms. Experimenting with the porous border between the stage and audience, Malaise dans la civilisation (Civilization and Its Discontents) creates a strange, playful world where complex characters innocently test the boundaries of morality leaving nothing (and no one) untouched.
Performed in English:
Mar 14 at 8pm, Mar 15 at 2pm, Mar 18 at 7pm, Mar 19 at 7pm, Mar 22 at 2pm
Performed in English & French with English Surtitles:
Mar 13 at 7pm, Mar 15 at 8pm, Mar 20 at 7pm, Mar 21 at 8pm, Mar 22 at 8pm
With support from The Québec Government Office in New York.
Photo: Julie Artacho
Created by Alix Dufresne and Étienne Lepage in collaboration with Florence Blain Mbaye, Maxime Genois, Renaud Lacelle-Bourdon, and Alice Moreault
Alix Dufresne – Director
Étienne Lepage – Director, Text & Production
Maxime Genois – Performer
Renaud Lacelle-Bourdon – Performer
Debbie Lynch White – Performer
Alice Moreault – Performer
Odile Gamache – Scenography & Costumes
Leticia Hamaoui – Lights
Robert Marcel Lepage – Music
Seoyoung Park – Technical Direction, Lighting Design Assistance & Control
Frédérick Gravel – Delegated Production DLD | Artistic Direction
Théâtre Royal (Charleroi) + Maison de la culture Marie-Uguay + Espace Le vrai monde – Coproduction Festival TransAmériques + L’ANCRE
Under 30 Discount
Guests 30 and under are invited to purchase $30 tickets for most events, subject to availability. Proof of age will be required at the time of ticket pick-up at the Information Desk. Guests can purchase one ticket per production, and applicable transaction fees will be applied to each purchase. To purchase, select an Under30 ticket when choosing your seat, then enter the promo code UNDER30 to receive the discount.
Guests who are unable to verify their age or do not meet the age requirements when picking up will be required to pay the difference in cost for a full price ticket. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Group Discount
Groups of 10 or more receive 10% off and 20 or more receive 15% off. Please call 212-266-3011 or fill out our Group Sales Request Form to reserve today.
The following discount is currently available by calling 212-266-3000:
Educator Discounts
Full-time teachers are invited to purchase $30 discounted tickets, subject to availability. A current school ID (elementary through high school; college/university) must be presented at the time of ticket pick-up. One school ID is valid for up to four tickets per event, and applicable transaction fees will be applied to each purchase.
The absurdity of the reflection and the deep satisfaction of this performative exploration of the unconscious make for joyously delirious scenes… Malaise dans la civilisation is a joyous ode to human nature.
–Pleins feux
In Malaise dans la civilisation, Quebec playwrights Alix Dufresne and Étienne Lepage unsettle societal and theatrical codes, subtly toying between laughter and discomfort, and constantly orchestrating surprise.
–La Terrasse
Alix Dufresne
A graduate in directing from the National Theatre School of Canada, Alix Dufresne directs, writes, and acts. On the borderline of dance and theater, she develops a hybrid style where body and movement are inductive of meaning. In her creations, she seeks to establish a dialogue between political matter and the resilient body through the use of media materials drawn from reality. The result is creations that put forward raw and instinctive reactions to the current word.
Photo: Maxime Côté
Étienne Lepage
A leading voice in Quebec theater, Étienne Lepage captures the imagination with his rhythmic language and cruel humor. Presenting humans who are as clumsy as they are disturbing, his work makes us contemplate the powerlessness of our wills in all its magnitude.
Animated by numerous strong collaborations, among other Quebec Creators, his work leads him to the international contemporary scene as well as to institutional theaters. Very present on the Montreal stage, he is also known in Europe and in the rest of North America.
Photo: Lucie Desrochers
Maxime Genois
Graduated from the Conservatoire d’art dramatique de Montréal, Maxime Genois has acted in Raconter le feu aux forêts, Fredy, La société des poètes disparus, and more. He co-directed Le clown, winning a Jury Prize at the Montreal World Film Festival. Featured in Matthias et Maxime, Le bruit des moteurs, and Souterrain, Maxime has also appeared on TV in O, Jean Béliveau, Demain des hommes, and the web series Cœur d’or and Hypno.
Photo: Monic Richard
Renaud Lacelle-Bourdon
Graduated from the Conservatoire d’art dramatique de Montréal, Renaud Lacelle-Bourdon co-founded Théâtre de la Banquette Arrière and quickly stood out on Montreal’s theater scene. He won a Cochon d’Or for Le Grand Cahier and received critical praise for roles in Robin et Marion, Vincent River, and Planotov. He has performed with Dave St-Pierre’s troupe and appeared in notable works at TNM and Théâtre Prospero. On screen, he’s featured in District 31, Trop, and St-Martyr-des-Damnés.
Photo: Andranne Gauthier
Debbie Lynch-White
Debbie Lynch-White graduated from the Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe Theatre School in 2010. She began with roles in La Pornographie des âmes and Le cycle de la boucherie. Her career soared in 2012 with her role as Nancy Prévost in Unité 9. She’s performed in notable plays, co-founded Théâtre du Grand Cheval, starred as Mary Travers in La Bolduc (winning an Iris Award), and hosted the documentary series L’Histoire de mon coming-out. She also toured her music show, Elle était une fois.
Photo: Julie Artacho
Alice Moreault
Since graduating from the National Theatre School of Canada in 2015, Alice Moreault has appeared on TV in Comment devenir une légende, Le jeu, Alertes, and Anna et Arnaud. On film, she starred as Sandrine in Bruce LaBruce’s Saint-Narcisse and worked on several short films as actor, writer, and producer. She’ll soon appear in Drag by Sophie Dupuis and Les jours heureux by Chloé Robichaud. Her theater credits include Les Plouffe, Les louves, and La société des poètes disparus.
Photo: Éva Maude
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