Introduction: Quebecois Theatre without Borders

Abstract

In his book Theatre and Globalization, Patrick Lonergan advances the idea that globalization is transforming the configuration of economic and cultural exchanges, leading to a “deterritorialization of power” that affects both cultural and economic arenas. Power moves from the precise physical location of its exercise to a conceptual space linked to the domination of brands (Lonergan 21). In this globalized and reconfigured cultural space, it makes sense to reflect upon the position of Quebecois theatre, to examine the strategies and tools that enable a segment of it to cross borders, and to contemplate whether its position on the global cultural stage has something to teach us about the manner in which the players in this relatively small theatre community can play their cards right in this new, international theatre dynamic. Thus the title of this special issue, Quebecois Theatre without Borders, as we have called it, in which the contributors examine the integration of these practices in a framework that exceeds the nation.