If We Were Birds
A re-imagining of Ovid’s myth, Philomela, Procne and Tereus.
"Si les oiseaux" - Marie-Éve Milot and Catherine De Léan, Set by Jean Brillant and Éric Olivier Lacroix, Costume by Fruzsina Lanyi, Lighting by Nancy Bussières, Photo by Maxime Côté
"Si les oiseaux" Set by Jean Brillant and Éric Olivier Lacroix, Costume by Fruzsina Lanyi, Lighting by Nancy Bussières, Photo by Maxime Côté
"Si les oiseaux" - Isabel Dos Santos, Alice Tran, Estelle Richard, Florence Blain Mbaye and Marie Pascale, Set by Jean Brillant and Éric Olivier Lacroix, Costume by Fruzsina Lanyi, Lighting by Nancy Bussières, Photo by Maxime Côté
"Si les oiseaux" - Marie-Éve Milot and Pascale Contamine, Set by Jean Brillant and Éric Olivier Lacroix, Costume by Fruzsina Lanyi, Lighting by Nancy Bussières, Photo by Maxime Côté
"Si les oiseaux" - Set by Jean Brillant and Éric Olivier Lacroix, Costume by Fruzsina Lanyi, Lighting by Nancy Bussières, Photo by Maxime Côté
"Si les oiseaux" - Estelle Richard, Marie-Éve Milot and Marie Pascale, Set by Jean Brillant and Éric Olivier Lacroix, Costume by Fruzsina Lanyi, Lighting by Nancy Bussières, Photo by Maxime Côté
"Si les oiseaux" - Pascale Contamine and Catherine De Léan, Set by Jean Brillant and Éric Olivier Lacroix, Costume by Fruzsina Lanyi, Lighting by Nancy Bussières, Photo by Maxime Côté
"Si les oiseaux" - Catherine De Léan, Set by Jean Brillant and Éric Olivier Lacroix, Costume by Fruzsina Lanyi, Lighting by Nancy Bussières, Photo by Maxime Côté
Premiere Production: Shannon Perrault, Karen Robinson, Philippa Domville, Tara Rosling, Barbara Gordon and Daniela Lama, Set and costume by Jung-Hye Kim, Lighting by Kimberly Purtell, Photo by Cylla Von Teidemann
Premiere Production: Shannon Perrault, Karen Robinson, Barbara Gordon, Stephanie Jung and Daniela Lama, Set and costume by Jung-Hye Kim, Lighting by Kimberly Purtell, Photo by Cylla Von Teidemann
“I thought there was a difference between family and war.”
If We Were Birds is a shocking, uncompromising examination of the horrors of war, giving voice to a woman long ago forced into silence, and placing a spotlight on millions of female victims who have been silenced through violence. Erin Shields’ award-winning play is an unflinching commentary on contemporary war and its aftermath delivered through the lens of Greek Tragedy.
Contemporary Greek Tragedy - 1 Act, 80 min / Cast - 7w, 2m
Production History
Directed by Alan Dilworth, If We Were Birds was first produced at the Tarragon Theatre in association with Groundwater Productions under Artistic Director, Richard Rose and General Manager, Camilla Holland.
Tarragon Theatre, Toronto - April 14-May 23, 2010
Imago Theatre, Montreal - Fall, 2013 (dir. Micheline Chevrier)
Théâtre à corps perdus - Fall, 2015 (dir. Genevieve Blais; trans. Maryse Warda)
If We Were Birds has played at many other theatres throughout North America.
Awards and Press
Winner of the 2011 Governor General’s Award for Playwriting
Nominated for five Dora Mavor Moore Awards (2 wins)
“Anyone doubting the relevance and primal pull of myth needs to see If We Were Birds. Scratch that. Anyone interested in powerful theatre should see it.”
— Glenn Sumi, Now Magazine
“The writing is both poetic and muscular, the images are vivid, breathtaking and heart-squeezing … pulsing with life and emotions.”
— Lynn Slotkin, CBC Radio
4 stars - “In a wryly poetic style, Shields channels her rage at the brutality inflicted on women in wars over the past century into this ancient tale. That she does so without ever dehumanizing the male perpetrators or losing sight of the fact that she is telling a specific, gripping, gruesome story is what is impressive.”
— J. Kelly Nestruck
