Tashi Farmilo
LJI Reporter

Playwright Marie Pier Lajoie has been officially confirmed as the recipient of the Théâtre de
l’Île’s third annual creative residency, following a City Council meeting held on August 26 in
Gatineau. The announcement, which had been subject to Council approval, was affirmed during
the meeting by municipal councillor Isabelle N. Miron, Chair of the Arts, Culture, Letters and
Heritage Commission.

Lajoie, a graduate of the University of Ottawa’s Acting Conservatory, is both an actress and
author with a strong passion for physical theatre, circus arts and visual arts. Her project, Point
Némo , was selected for its artistic innovation, emotional depth and resonance with the
residency’s objectives. A theatrical meditation on trauma and identity, the play follows Rosie and
Christophe, two individuals grappling with the aftermath of abuse, who take shelter in a
bathroom as a hurricane bears down. The space, reimagined as a stranded space station in the
eye of the storm, becomes a symbolic theatre of memory, fear and renewal. The production
blends elements of dreamscape and stark realism to explore personal reconstruction and the
liminal nature of healing.

Through the Théâtre de l’Île residency, Lajoie will receive both financial and logistical support
over two phases. The first, commencing in September, includes 150 hours of access to the
theatre’s facilities, mentorship from L’Avant-première and technical resources. The second
phase provides additional rehearsal time, promotional support and public presentation
opportunities at Espace René-Provost. The initiative is part of Gatineau’s 2024–2034 Cultural
Policy, which seeks to elevate local theatre by fostering research, experimentation and visibility
for emerging work.

The creative team assembled for Point Némo includes Lisa L’Heureux for dramaturgical
guidance and artistic direction, Marie-Thé Morin as staging mentor, Lana Morton on gestural
design and Emilio Sebastiao handling scenography and lighting. Actor Bénédicte Bélizaire is
also confirmed as part of the cast.

In her remarks to Council, Miron underscored the residency’s broader civic significance.
“Creative residencies are essential because they give our artists a space to create locally, works
that we’ll be able to admire at the Théâtre de l’Île,” she said. “We’re truly pleased, and I’m very
much looking forward to seeing the results of this third residency.”

This residency follows previous editions awarded to Haïti: l’île des esclaves by Fâcheux Théâtre
in 2023 and Comme des bruissements by Voyageurs Immobiles in 2024. It marks a growing
tradition of support for original, introspective theatre created in and for Gatineau.

Photo: Marie Pier Lajoie has been awarded the Théâtre de l’Île’s third creative residency for
Point Némo , a poetic and unflinching exploration of trauma, memory and renewal. (TF) Photo:
Mathieu Taillardas