Denis Marleau

Denis Marleau trained at the Conservatoire d’art dramatique de Montréal and founded the Théâtre Ubu in 1982. He was Artistic Director of French Theatre at the National Arts Centre for seven seasons, from 2001/2002 until 2007/2008. A frequent collaborator with artists from the worlds of dance, music and the visual arts, he has explored the works of the European avant-gardistes, from Jarry and Beckett to Koltès. Since 1996 he has paid particular attention to Québec playwrights, bringing his desire for theatrical experimentation. Many of his productions, often created in collaboration with European theatres and festivals, have been seen at the National Arts Centre, including Les Ubs (1991), Le Passage de l’Indiana (1996), Au Coeur de la Rose (2002), Quelqu’un va venir (2002) and Les Aveugles (2004). In 1998, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation presented Denis Marleau with the National Arts Centre Award in recognition of his remarkable contribution to the development of French theatre in Canada.