i/O
A mesmerizing piece of documentary theatre, i/O ponders our collective capacity to take up new possibilities, invent other futures, and rethink the fact that we are finite.
Cheating Death
On the cusp of radical transformations in our world, shouldn’t we reconsider how ephemeral we actually are? i/O brings together transhumanist ideologies, posthumanist philosophy, and techno-utopia with the intimate story of the loss of a father. Through her own family history, Dominique Leclerc questions what we leave behind after we die—and what we don’t. She probes existential and ethical questions with sensitivity and care, while pointedly scrutinizing the future of our species.
In i/O, personal objects and video memories stand as witnesses of a forever fading past. Artefacts are placed in a time capsule created live on stage. Leclerc’s project, at once scientific and theatrical, is rigorous, generous, and funny, and allows for a fascinating dialogue between those who create new biotechnologies, those who use them, and the uninitiated. i/O is not only a show about death; it is resolutely imbued with a zest for life.
Produced by Posthumains + Centre du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui
Written by Dominique Leclerc
Directed by Olivier Kemeid + Dominique Leclerc
Performed by Dominique Leclerc with Jérémie Battaglia + Patrice Charbonneau-Brunelle
Creative Partner and Set Design Patrice Charbonneau-Brunelle
Video Jérémie Battaglia
Assistant Director Anne-Sara Gendron
Dramaturgy Émilie Martz-Kuhn
Lighting Design and Stage Manager Marie-Aube St-Amant Duplessis
Sound Design Andréa Marsolais-Roy
Costume Design Leïlah Dufour Forget
Video integration Pierre Laniel
Make-Up and Hair Justine Denoncourt-Bélanger
Movement Advisor Marilyn Daoust
Set Design Assistant Ximena Pinilla
Video Integration Assistant and Video Manager Zachary Noël-Ferland
Verbatim translation for surtitles David Laurin
Surtitles translation David Noël
Surtitles Operator Chloé Ekker
Technical Director David Poisson
Touring Paule Maher
Accounting Renée Hudon
Created with the support of LA SERRE – arts vivants + Posthumanism Research Institute – Brock University + Office national du film du Canada + CEAD – Centre des auteurs dramatiques
Premiered at Centre du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui, on November 16, 2021
Presented in association with Théâtre Prospero
Written by Sophie Gemme
Translated by Katia Grubisic
Dominique Leclerc (Montreal)
Posthumains
Dominique Leclerc is an author, director, actor, and producer. A 2002 graduate of the acting program at Collège Lionel-Groulx, she has participated in a number of productions including the group work Ishow, from 2011 to 2015, Trois by Mani Soleymanlou (FTA, 2014), and Nathan by Emmanuel Schwartz (FTA, 2012).
Edition 2023
Performances
- Fri02June7 p.m.
- Sat03June9 p.m.
- Sun04June7 p.m.
