Speak beyond language
About
Translation Commissions
Local Projects
International Projects
Development Workshops & Labs
The Ballad of Georges Boivin, 2021 (PAL Studio Theatre, Vancouver, Canada)
About
“…smashing nationality and accessibility borders in a Total theatre…”
IMA MAGAZINE (ITALY)
Founded in 2012 by France Perras and Jack Paterson, Bouche is a Vancouver based artistic theatrical collective made up of working theatre professionals.
We are dedicated to the development, production and presentation of multi language works, cross disciplinary arts and works in translation.
In Vancouver, Bouche spessifcly focused on bringing together Pan Canadian Francophone and Anglophone Canadian artists.
Internationally, Bouche focuses on cross pollination between International and Canadian artists.
We showcase daring contemporary international and national practices by bringing together creators separated by distance, language and culture.
Vancouver Production
Bouche partners with local organisations to to develop and produce new works in translations in Vancouver.
International Exchanges
Continuously seeking out new international partners, Bouche has participated projects in Italy, Indonesia, Germany, UK and USA.
Devised Creation
Projects have ranged from contemporary devised creation, multi-disciplinary, cross-cultural, and multi-lingual experiences.
Creative Translation
Bouche has commissioned or facilitated over 25 new translations of Canadian works into Dutch, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, & Spanish.
New Works Development
Bouche has produced and co-produced over 50 new translation development & devised creation development workshops locally, nationally, and internationally.
Encounter / Rencontre
Bouche showcases Canadian playwrights, translators, and theatre makers locally, nationally and internationally.
Our Success is Measured
by the Success of Others
We are thrilled that the following has directly resulted from our activities, outreach, and promotion of Canadian theatre makers:
Across Canada
2024 English Language Premiere of Martin Bellemare’s The Ballad of George Boivin (Lunchbox Theatre, Calgary)
2024 English Language workshop presentation of Marie-Ève Milot and/et Marie-Claude St-Laurent’s Still Life (Talisman Theatre & The Centaur Theatre WildSide Festival, Montreal)
2023 French Language Premiere of Karen Hines’ Crawlspace (Théâtre Français de Toronto, Toronto)
2023 Frnch language workshop of Mishka Lavigne’s Shorelines (Theatre Action, Ottawa)
2023 French language workshop of Joseph Shragge’s Ricki (Scapegoat Carnival, Montreal)
2022 English Language workshop presentation of Eric Noel’s Ces regards amoureux de garçons altérés (PWM, Montreal)
2022 English language presentation of Nathalie Boisvert’s Facelift (The Centaur Theatre, Montreal CAN)
2022 French Language Staged Reading of Karen Hines’ Crawlspace (Théâtre Action, Sudbury)
2022 World English Language Premiere of Mishka Lavigne’s Haven (United Players, Vancouver)
2021 English Language Premiere of Martin Bellemare’s The Ballad of George Boivin (Western Gold Theatre, Vancouver)
2022 English Language presentation of Nathalie Boisvert’s Facelift (The Centaur, Montreal)
2015 & 2016 Main Stage English Language Productions of Jennifer Tremblay’s The List (Ruby Slippers Theatre, Vancouver)
French Language Premiere of Karen Hines’ Crawlspace (Théâtre Français de Toronto , 2023)
Abroad
2023 Spanish staged reading of Rhiannon Collette’s The Kissing Game (Teatro Vista & Steppenwolf Theatre, USA)
2023 Italian staged reading of Nathalie Boisvert’s Facelift (Teatro Trieste 34, Italy)
2023 Italian staged reading of Nathalie Boisvert’s Facelift (Satiri Di Storie Festival, Italy)
2023 Italian Pod Cast of Marie-Claude Garneau, Marie-Ève Milot & Marie-Claude St-Laurent’s La Coalition de la Robe (Teatro Trieste 34, Italy)
2023 Italian podcast presentations of Trina Davies’ Silence (Piacenza Kultur Dom, Italy)
2022 Italian presentations of Trina Davies’ Silence (La Serra del Palazzo Ghizzoni, Italy)
2022 Italian presentation of Marie-Claude Garneau, Marie-Ève Milot & Marie-Claude St-Laurent’s La Coalition de la Robe (Teatro Trieste 34, Italy)
2021 South African Premiere of Marie-Claude Verdier’s I’m Not Here (Free State University, South Africa)
2021 presentation by Theatre Maker Deneh’Cho Thompson at Flausen+ Kongress (Werkstatt Theater, Germany)
2020 English language presentation of Marie-Ève Milot & Marie-Claude St-Laurent’s Chiennes (Studio Theatre, USA)
South African premiere of I’m Not Here (Free State University, 2021)
2016 London UK English language Premiere of Marie-Claude Verdier’s I’m Not Here (Voila Festival, UK)
Publications
English Language workshop of Ces regards amoureux de garçons altérés (Playwrights” Workshop Montreal, 2022)
2023 Publication of Nathalie Boisvert’s Antigone in Spring in English translation.
2022 Publication of exerpts of Trina Davie’s Silence in Italian translation in SuperAble Magazine online and print editions.
2021 Publication of Marie Claude Verdier’s Andy’s Gone in English translation.
2021 Publication of Sébastien Harrisson’s From Alaska in English translation.
2015 Multiple Canadian playwrights featured in Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway’s Audition Speeches for BAME (bipoc) Actors (Bloomsbury Methuen).
Sold at leading UK & International theatre bookshops, Canadian playwrights include Camyar Chai, Anosh Irani, Ravi & Asha Jain, Sheila James, Sunil Kuruvilla, Anita Majumdar, Wajdi Mouawad, Mala Sinha, Djanet Spears, Jordan Tannahill, Guillermo Verdecchia, and Marcus Youssef.
International Translations of Canadian Works
2023 Nathalie Boisvert’s Facelift into Italian (ChezActors, Italy)
2023 Rhiannon Collette’s The Kissing Game into Spanish (Teatro Vista, USA)
2022 Rhiannon Collette’s The Kissing Game into Portuguese (Nucleo Experimental, Brazil)
2021 Olivier Sylvestre’s La Loi de la gravité into Portuguese (Nucleo Experimental, Brazil)
2021 Trina Davies’ Silence into Italian (Piacenza Kultur Dom, Italy)
2021 Eric Noel’s Faire des enfants into Portuguese (Nucleo Experimental, Brazil)
2021 Marie-Claude Garneau, Marie-Ève Milot et Marie-Claude St-Laurent’s La Coalition de la Robe into Italian (Piacenza Kultur Dom, Italy)
2020 Joseph A. Dandurand’s TH’OWXIYA: THE HUNGRY FEAST DISH into Dutch and Portuguese (Axis Theatre)
Italian translation development workshop of Trina Davies’ Silence (Teatro Trieste 34, Italy)
Meet Our Team
Jack Paterson
Founder & Creative Producer
Jack (he, him) is an award winning devisor, director, translator, dramaturg and creative producer whose practice has taken him across Canada, UK, EU and around the world. His work ranges from contemporary devising, multi-disciplinary, cross-cultural and multi-lingual projects to new works & texts, contemporary approaches to classical theatre. Jack has produced or co-produced over 50 local, national and international projects, workshops and events. www.JackPatersonTheatre.com
France Perras
Founder
A graduate from the University of Ottawa Theatre department, France is an award winning bilingual (French & English) actor and theatre maker who works in voice overs, cartoons, theatre, television & film, as well as announcing, moderating and hosting live events. www.franceperras.com
Allyson McGrane
Associate
Allyson (she, her) is a producer, creator and consultant. She is a founding partner at Left Right Minds Initiatives where works directly with many professional artists and organizations. Past work includes cluster management and consulting for artists including the Richmond Gateway Theatre, Ruby Slippers Theatre, and Wild Excursions Performance. www.allysonmcgrane.com
Rhiannon Collett
Associate (Vancouver)
Rhiannon Collett (they, them) is an award-winning non-binary playwright, performer, director and translator based in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. Their work explores the ritualization of grief, gender performativity, queer/trans identity and the psychological effects of sexual objectification.
Alexis Diamond
Associate (Montreal)
Alexis Diamond (she, her) is a theatre artist, opera and musical librettist, translator, and theatre curator working on both sides of Montréal’s linguistic divide. Her award-winning works have been presented across Canada, the US, and Europe.
Mishka Lavigne
Associate (Ottawa)
Mishka Lavigne (she, her) is playwright and literary translator based in Ottawa/Gatineau. Her plays have been produced, read, and developed in Canada, France, Germany and the United States. Shea is a two-time winner of the Governor General’s Award for French-language drama, for Havre (2019) and Copeaux (2021).