Alumnae Theatre opens its season with Public Enemy, a Canadian play written by Bobby Théogor that is as urgent as it is intimate. Directed by Marcio Beauclair, the production explores the fractures within one family as a mirror of the fractures within society. It is a work steeped in politics, culture, and the question on so many people’s minds: what’s going on?
For Marcio, the choice to take on this production was more than an assignment, it was a passion project. “I love this play because I saw this play twice, and I read it many times. It’s really a masterpiece, a Canadian masterpiece for me,” Marcio explained. Originally staged in Montreal in 2015, the play quickly established itself as a vital work that examines issues like politics, racism, immigration, and sexism through the lens of a family in crisis.
Alumnae Theatre opens its season with Public Enemy, a Canadian play written by Olivier Choinière and transadapted by Bobby Theodore that is as urgent as it is intimate. Directed by Marcio Beauclair, the production explores the fractures within one family as a mirror of the fractures within society. It is a work steeped in politics, culture, and the question on so many people’s minds: what’s going on?
For Marcio, the choice to take on this production was more than an assignment, it was a passion project. “I love this play because I saw this play twice, and I read it many times. It’s really a masterpiece, a Canadian masterpiece for me,” Marcio explained. Originally staged in Montreal in 2015, the play quickly established itself as a vital work that examines issues like politics, racism, immigration, and sexism through the lens of a family in crisis.
Theatre as Reflection and Responsibility
Throughout my interview with Marcio, one theme returned again and again: theatre as a tool for reflection, activism, and responsibility. The choice of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On as the production’s pre-show and rehearsal song. “It’s basically like what’s going on right now. Exactly what’s happening. We want people to reflect on the world we live in.”
For Marcio, this is not just about art, it’s about activism. “I am a queer director, so I always choose plays that have something to do with political or activist issues.” Marcio’s previous work has included feminist retellings of classics and plays by queer writers. Public Enemy is part of that continuum: a story about hate, bigotry, and division that asks audiences to consider how we might move forward.
Chaos, Family, and Synergy on Stage
The play itself is a family drama, one where seven actors share the stage in a swirl of dialogue, interruptions, and overlapping voices. “The magic of the play is that everyone talks at the same time, exactly like a family,” Marcio noted. That chaos is intentional, immersing audiences in the tension and noise of a household that mirrors our fractured society.
It’s also a challenge for the cast. “There is no cue for them. They have only a flow.” To meet that challenge, Marcio encouraged actors to bring their own insights to the roles. “I’m not the kind of director that wants everything exactly as I want. I gave them the opportunity to bring their inspiration, their feelings.”
That collaborative spirit has created a cast that, in the Marcio’s words, “looks like a family.”
What Audiences Can Expect
Ultimately, Marcio hopes audiences walk away reflecting on the fractures in society but also on the possibility of love and accountability. “The song says it best: come back to love each other. Because that family, they don’t love each other. And that’s the world we live in right now too.”
Alumnae Theatre’s Public Enemy isn’t just a play, it’s a mirror, a conversation, and a challenge. It asks: what’s going on? And, more importantly, what are we going to do about it?
Public Enemy is Presented by Alumnae Theatre Company, running from September 24th to October 5th.
Learn more and get your tickets today!
