Gratien Gélinas (1909-1999) was born on 8 December 1909 in Saint-Tite, Quebec. One of the most influential figures in contemporary Canadian theatre and cinema, he was active as a playwright, director, actor and filmmaker. He gave a voice to ordinary people in general and French-speaking Canadians in particular, bringing a living, everyday language to the stage.

As soon as he was hired to write a radio show, he gave up his job in an insurance company and devoted himself to the creative arts. The character of Fridolin, originally created for the radio, was a gateway to the theatre in the form of the revues Fridolinons or Fridolinades, which ran with enormous success for eight years and were also filmed. Although light-hearted, they touched on serious issues and contained some anti-war criticism. In 1957, he founded La Comédie-Canadienne in Montreal in order to support Canadian drama, although plays by non-Canadians were gradually incorporated into its repertoire. The company was active until 1972. Gélinas left behind a rich body of work and an important archive, which bears witness to the professionalism with which he conducted his career.

 

A short list of his plays:
Little rooster [Tit-Coq], Bousille and the just [Bousille et les justes], Yesterday the children weredancing[Hier, les enfants dansaient], The passion of Narcisse Mondoux [La passion de Narcisse Mondoux].

 

Have you any idea of what a colonial you are, even in your own home? An hour ago, on the phone, you were talking to your big boss, the Prime Minister […]. Had you felt the temptation, perfectly legitimate to make him answer in your own tongue, can you imagine how bewildered the poor dear great man would've been? And yet three out of nine of "his people" speak French. (Yesterday the children were dancing)