Toronto, English-Canada, and the ‘ROC’: Robert Lepage Onstage

Abstract

This is a review of Jane Koustas’s 2016 book Robert Lepage on the Toronto Stage: Language, Identity, Nation. The reviewer comments on Koustas’s inquiry into Lepage’s success on the Toronto stage, his contribution to global perceptions of Canadian theatre, and his identity as a critically acclaimed artist in English Canada. The review queries the author’s identification of Toronto as the de facto representative of the ROC (Rest of Canada) and the ways that the book’s formatting of lengthy French passages replicates how audiences experience bilingual performance. The review suggests that, like many of Lepage’s works, Koustas’s book raises questions it leaves unanswered and points out productive areas for further inquiry.