Les Belles-Soeurs Study Guide | Stratford Festival Official Website

ABOUT THE PLAY

Les Belles-Soeurs
By Michel Tremblay
Translated by John Van Burek and Bill Glassco
Directed by Esther Jun

House Program for Les Belles-Soeurs

Grade Recommendation 8+

Content Advisory

Please see the show page for a detailed audience advisory.

Synopsis

When Michel Tremblay's Les Belles-Soeurs premiéred in Montréal in 1968, the province's French majority were second class citizens in all but name. The Anglophone elite and the Catholic Church held the levers of power, and the Québécois, effectively barred from the best jobs, had one of the highest birth rates in the West. Tremblay's explosive play, which debuted in a pivotal year in the province's Quiet Revolution, was a sign that Things were finally starting to change.

Germaine Lauzon is a downtrodden Montréal housewife who thinks she's finally won life's jackpot when she wins a million Gold Star stamps from a local grocery store. She invites her family, friends and neighbours-a cross-section of 15 working-class women-to help glue the stamps into booklets. As the women work, they gossip, laugh and swap complaints. But the jovial, raunchy ambiance is spiked with flares of jealousy, as these disempowered women rage against the strictures-of family, society, gender-that trap them in place. Their chorus of grievances also reveal seismic generational gaps in the women's attitudes toward the Church, their husbands and families, and their own bodies. The older women, especially, may not like the way things are, but the rapid social and economic changes underway threaten the only life they've known.

A chronicle of the Québécois female experience in all its beauty and despair, Les Belles-Soeurs brought the struggles of ordinary working-class women to mainstream theatre audiences at its premiére. It was the first professionally-produced play performed entirely in joual, the vernacular dialect of the Québécois working class, a bold decision that initially alienated many critics. Audiences responded with wild enthusiasm, making the play a hit, and critics eventually caught on. Today Les Belles-Soeurs is recognized as a classic of Québec and Canadian theatre and has been translated into more than 30 lanugages.

Curriculum Connections

Global Competencies:
- Citizenship, Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Metacognition, Self-Awareness
Grade 8
- The Arts (Drama, Music, Visual Arts)
- French as a Second Language
- Language
- Social Studies
Grade 9-12
- The Arts (Drama, Music, Visual Arts)
- Canadian and World Studies
- English
- French as a Second Language
Grades 11-12
- French as a Second Language
- Social Sciences and Humanities

Themes

Acceptance
Class and Consumerism
Community
Expectations
Family
Generational Relationship and rifts
Guilt and Judgment
The Quiet Revolution
Religion
Secrets and Repression
Social and Economic Mobility
Tradition vs. Modern Ideas

DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION QUESTIONS

PRE-SHOW QUESTIONS

How are familial relationships different than friendships?
Are young people or older people more open to change? Explain your position.
In what ways does language impact identity? Do the language/s you speak define who you are? Why or why not?
What do you already know about the Quiet Revolution? How might women and families have been affected by the Quiet Revolution?
If you won a significant prize in a contest, would you share your winnings amongst your friends and family or keep it to yourself? Why?
Have you ever felt trapped or stuck in a situation? What happened to lead up to that point and what did you do to improve or change the situation?
Have you ever been involved in gossiping with others? What was the impact of that experience for you and for others?
Who do you reach out to for advice when you are going through a difficult time? If you had a friend in need of advice, who would you suggest they connect with?
Why do you think a male-identifying playwright was interested in writing a play featuring 15 women? Does this surprise you? Why or why not?

POST-SHOW QUESTIONS

Do you think Michel Tremblay, the playwright, represented the lives, thoughts and desires of women in a realistic way? Why or why not?
Why were Germaine's neighbours jealous?
What is a monologue? What is the significance of the monologues used throughout the play?
Why do the women keep secrets from one another?
What was the effect of choral speaking in the play?
Why do the women steal the stamps, and how do they justify their actions? Do you agree with their decision making? What would you have done in that situation?
Why are the women so excited about BINGO night?
In 2010, Les Belles-Soeurs was developed into a French language musical by René Richard Cyr and Daniel Belanger. How do you think this play would translate in musical format? What moments in the play might lend themselves well to expression by song?
Are there any unintentional harms that might be caused through the production of this play? If so, what are they and what might be done to take care of the artists and audience members participating in the work?

MINDS ON

Objective: Students will create a deeper backstory for a character of their choosing through research, text analysis, critical thinking and writing. Students will create a product of their choice (e.g. monologue performance, diary entry, letters between characters, presentation, social media profile, etc.) to demonstrate their understanding of the character.

Materials: Copies of selected text from the play, writing materials, computer/access to the Internet. Printed copies of the excerpt from Act 1, Scene 1, writing materials (in a variety of colours), whiteboard/flipchart and markers.

Directions:

Ask students to work together to create a list of all the characters in the play and invite them to consider/discuss the following:
- Which characters were most memorable and why?
- What characters/s did you connect with the most?
- Are there any characters you wished you knew more about?
- What did the actions of each character say about their personality and motivation?
Let students know you will be focusing on the following characters:
- Germaine Lauzon
- Linda Lauzon
- Marie-Ange Brouillette
- Rose Ouimet
- Pierrette Guérin
- Lisa Paquette
- Thérèse Dubuc
As students to select a character from the list and provide them with their respective character's selected text.
Give them time to engage in research and reflection about their selected character. Encourage students to look closely at the text provided and to use the following questions as research prompts:
- How would you describe this character using 5 words?
- What events might have happened in this character's life to make them the way they are?
- What clues from the text can you use to learn more about them?
Students will create a product of their choice from the viewpoint of their selected character. Examples include:
- A monologue that this character would deliver in a particular context
- Germaine Lauzon delivers a monologue while grocery shopping
- A diary entry
- Linda Lauzon writes a diary entry about her relationship with her mother, Germaine
- Rose writes a diary entry in the evening following the gathering at Germaine's house
- A letter from one character to another
- Germaine writes a letter to one of her sisters
- Lisa Paquette writes a letter to Linda
- A presentation (virtually or on a poster) highlighting key characteristics and backstory for their selected character
- A social media profile
Once each groups has had a chance to read and analyze their assigned passage, reconvene as a larger group.
Ask each group to share their findings with the larger group.
Encourage students to think critically about the language used by the characters, and how it reflects their personalities and motivations.
Facilitate a discussion about the significance of these differences and similarities, and how they might contribute to the overall themes and conflicts in the play.

Possible Extensions:

Character Mapping: Create a character map or web to connect relatives and friends. What are each character's relations to one another? How do they interact with one another in the play?
Research in Depth: Explore "joual" vernacular (noting differences and culturally specific references that may only make sense in that period and/or dialect). Invite students to complete a research project about the Quiet Revolution.
French as a Second Language Connection: Have students read the play in French, and then compare to the English translation. Students could write a comparative essay answering questions about culturally specific theatre, effectiveness, etc.

Debriefing Questions:

What clues from the text did you use to help with your understanding of each character?
What was the most challenging part of this activity? What made it difficult and how did you overcome any challenges that you encountered?
What kind of preparatory work do you think actors need to put in during rehearsals to fully understand and connect with their character? If you were cast as one of the characters in this play, how would you go about preparing to rehearse and perform the role?

About the Play

ABOUT THE PLAY

Les Belles-Soeurs
By Michel Tremblay
Translated by John Van Burek and Bill Glassco
Directed by Esther Jun

House Program for Les Belles-Soeurs

Grade Recommendation 8+

Content Advisory

Please see the show page for a detailed audience advisory.

Synopsis

When Michel Tremblay's Les Belles-Soeurs premiéred in Montréal in 1968, the province's French majority were second class citizens in all but name. The Anglophone elite and the Catholic Church held the levers of power, and the Québécois, effectively barred from the best jobs, had one of the highest birth rates in the West. Tremblay's explosive play, which debuted in a pivotal year in the province's Quiet Revolution, was a sign that Things were finally starting to change.

Germaine Lauzon is a downtrodden Montréal housewife who thinks she's finally won life's jackpot when she wins a million Gold Star stamps from a local grocery store. She invites her family, friends and neighbours-a cross-section of 15 working-class women-to help glue the stamps into booklets. As the women work, they gossip, laugh and swap complaints. But the jovial, raunchy ambiance is spiked with flares of jealousy, as these disempowered women rage against the strictures-of family, society, gender-that trap them in place. Their chorus of grievances also reveal seismic generational gaps in the women's attitudes toward the Church, their husbands and families, and their own bodies. The older women, especially, may not like the way things are, but the rapid social and economic changes underway threaten the only life they've known.

A chronicle of the Québécois female experience in all its beauty and despair, Les Belles-Soeurs brought the struggles of ordinary working-class women to mainstream theatre audiences at its premiére. It was the first professionally-produced play performed entirely in joual, the vernacular dialect of the Québécois working class, a bold decision that initially alienated many critics. Audiences responded with wild enthusiasm, making the play a hit, and critics eventually caught on. Today Les Belles-Soeurs is recognized as a classic of Québec and Canadian theatre and has been translated into more than 30 lanugages.

Curriculum Connections

Global Competencies:
- Citizenship, Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Metacognition, Self-Awareness
Grade 8
- The Arts (Drama, Music, Visual Arts)
- French as a Second Language
- Language
- Social Studies
Grade 9-12
- The Arts (Drama, Music, Visual Arts)
- Canadian and World Studies
- English
- French as a Second Language
Grades 11-12
- French as a Second Language
- Social Sciences and Humanities

Themes

Acceptance
Class and Consumerism
Community
Expectations
Family
Generational Relationship and rifts
Guilt and Judgment
The Quiet Revolution
Religion
Secrets and Repression
Social and Economic Mobility
Tradition vs. Modern Ideas

Discussion Questions

DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION QUESTIONS

PRE-SHOW QUESTIONS

How are familial relationships different than friendships?
Are young people or older people more open to change? Explain your position.
In what ways does language impact identity? Do the language/s you speak define who you are? Why or why not?
What do you already know about the Quiet Revolution? How might women and families have been affected by the Quiet Revolution?
If you won a significant prize in a contest, would you share your winnings amongst your friends and family or keep it to yourself? Why?
Have you ever felt trapped or stuck in a situation? What happened to lead up to that point and what did you do to improve or change the situation?
Have you ever been involved in gossiping with others? What was the impact of that experience for you and for others?
Who do you reach out to for advice when you are going through a difficult time? If you had a friend in need of advice, who would you suggest they connect with?
Why do you think a male-identifying playwright was interested in writing a play featuring 15 women? Does this surprise you? Why or why not?

POST-SHOW QUESTIONS

Do you think Michel Tremblay, the playwright, represented the lives, thoughts and desires of women in a realistic way? Why or why not?
Why were Germaine's neighbours jealous?
What is a monologue? What is the significance of the monologues used throughout the play?
Why do the women keep secrets from one another?
What was the effect of choral speaking in the play?
Why do the women steal the stamps, and how do they justify their actions? Do you agree with their decision making? What would you have done in that situation?
Why are the women so excited about BINGO night?
In 2010, Les Belles-Soeurs was developed into a French language musical by René Richard Cyr and Daniel Belanger. How do you think this play would translate in musical format? What moments in the play might lend themselves well to expression by song?
Are there any unintentional harms that might be caused through the production of this play? If so, what are they and what might be done to take care of the artists and audience members participating in the work?

Minds On

MINDS ON

Objective: Students will create a deeper backstory for a character of their choosing through research, text analysis, critical thinking and writing. Students will create a product of their choice (e.g. monologue performance, diary entry, letters between characters, presentation, social media profile, etc.) to demonstrate their understanding of the character.

Materials: Copies of selected text from the play, writing materials, computer/access to the Internet. Printed copies of the excerpt from Act 1, Scene 1, writing materials (in a variety of colours), whiteboard/flipchart and markers.

Directions:

Ask students to work together to create a list of all the characters in the play and invite them to consider/discuss the following:
- Which characters were most memorable and why?
- What characters/s did you connect with the most?
- Are there any characters you wished you knew more about?
- What did the actions of each character say about their personality and motivation?
Let students know you will be focusing on the following characters:
- Germaine Lauzon
- Linda Lauzon
- Marie-Ange Brouillette
- Rose Ouimet
- Pierrette Guérin
- Lisa Paquette
- Thérèse Dubuc
As students to select a character from the list and provide them with their respective character's selected text.
Give them time to engage in research and reflection about their selected character. Encourage students to look closely at the text provided and to use the following questions as research prompts:
- How would you describe this character using 5 words?
- What events might have happened in this character's life to make them the way they are?
- What clues from the text can you use to learn more about them?
Students will create a product of their choice from the viewpoint of their selected character. Examples include:
- A monologue that this character would deliver in a particular context
- Germaine Lauzon delivers a monologue while grocery shopping
- A diary entry
- Linda Lauzon writes a diary entry about her relationship with her mother, Germaine
- Rose writes a diary entry in the evening following the gathering at Germaine's house
- A letter from one character to another
- Germaine writes a letter to one of her sisters
- Lisa Paquette writes a letter to Linda
- A presentation (virtually or on a poster) highlighting key characteristics and backstory for their selected character
- A social media profile
Once each groups has had a chance to read and analyze their assigned passage, reconvene as a larger group.
Ask each group to share their findings with the larger group.
Encourage students to think critically about the language used by the characters, and how it reflects their personalities and motivations.
Facilitate a discussion about the significance of these differences and similarities, and how they might contribute to the overall themes and conflicts in the play.

Possible Extensions:

Character Mapping: Create a character map or web to connect relatives and friends. What are each character's relations to one another? How do they interact with one another in the play?
Research in Depth: Explore "joual" vernacular (noting differences and culturally specific references that may only make sense in that period and/or dialect). Invite students to complete a research project about the Quiet Revolution.
French as a Second Language Connection: Have students read the play in French, and then compare to the English translation. Students could write a comparative essay answering questions about culturally specific theatre, effectiveness, etc.

Debriefing Questions:

What clues from the text did you use to help with your understanding of each character?
What was the most challenging part of this activity? What made it difficult and how did you overcome any challenges that you encountered?
What kind of preparatory work do you think actors need to put in during rehearsals to fully understand and connect with their character? If you were cast as one of the characters in this play, how would you go about preparing to rehearse and perform the role?

CONNECTION TO THE ARCHIVES

The 2023 production of Les Belles-Soeurs is the first time the Stratford Festival will be staging a play by a Canadian playwright on the Festival Theatre stage. Does this surprise you? Why or why not? What other works from Canadian playwrights would you love to see at the Festival Theatre?

Goldie Semple with members of the company in Les Belles-Soeurs, 1991.

Goldie Semple as Pierrette Guerin (left) with members of the company in Les Belles-Soeurs, 1991. Written by Michel Tremblay. Directed by Marti Maraden. Designed by Michael Goodwin. Lighting design by Louise Guinand. Photograph by Tom Skudra. Stratford Festival Archives, GPO.1991.001.0005

The Stratford Festival's Archives maintains, conserves and protects records about the Festival and makes those materials available to people around the world. Their collection contains material ranging from 1952 right up to the present and includes administrative documents, production records, photographs, design artwork, scores, audio-visual recordings, promotional materials, costumes, props, set decorations and much more. These materials are collected and preserved with the aim of documenting the history of the Festival, preserving the page-to-stage process, and capturing the creative processes involved in numerous other activities that contribute to the Festival each season.

RESOURCES

Trailer - Les Belles-Soeurs
House Program - Les Belles-Soeurs
Study Guide PDF - Les Belles-Soeurs

Study Guides

View past Study Guides and Study Guides for all 2023 plays, available free of charge on our website.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

1960 - The Quiet Revolution (Sociétés et Territoires, Récit, Learn)

The Beginning of a new Era (Musée Québécois de Culture Populaire)

Ontario's Quiet Revolution (Ontario Heritage Trust)

Québec - My Country, Mons Pays, Charting the Aftermath of Quebec's Quiet Revolution… Through the Lens of John Walker

The Quebec Quiet Revolution: A Noisy Evolution (Donald Cuccioletta and Martin Lubin, Quebec Studies Vol. 36, American Council for Quebec Studies)

The Quiet Revolution (Canada: A Country by Consent)

The Quiet Revolution (CBC Canada)

What is "Joual" in Québec (MaprofdeFrançais)

Stratford Public Library Suggested Reading List for Les Belles-Soeurs

Booking Information: Tickets, Workshops, Chats and Tours

Student Matinées

You may book any available date, but selected student matinée performances for this show are at 2:00 p.m. on the following dates:

Friday, September 1st
Wednesday, September 6th
Friday, September 15th
Wednesday, September 20th
Friday, September 22nd
Tuesday, September 26th
Friday, October 6th
Tuesday, October 17th

Workshop & Chats

Pre or Post-Show Workshops and Post-Show Chats (virtual, onsite or at your school/centre) can be booked by calling the Box Office at 1.800.567.1600.

TOOLS FOR TEACHERS SPONSORED BY

Canada-Life_White(1)

Tools for Teachers include Prologues, Study Guides and Stratford Shorts.

PROUD SEASON PARTNERS

2019_BMO_White RBC_White(1)

PRODUCTION CO-SPONSOR

RBC_White(1)

SUPPORT FOR THE 2023 SEASON OF THE FESTIVAL THEATRE IS GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY DANIEL BERNSTEIN & CLAIRE FOERSTER.

PRODUCTION SUPPORT OF LES BELLES-SOEURS IS GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY SYLVIA D. CHROMINSKA, BY CATHY & PAUL COTTON, BY JANE FRYMAN LAIRD, BY DR. ROBERT J. & ROBERTA SOKOL AND BY DR. JOHN H. WHITESIDE.

Connection to the Archives

CONNECTION TO THE ARCHIVES

The 2023 production of Les Belles-Soeurs is the first time the Stratford Festival will be staging a play by a Canadian playwright on the Festival Theatre stage. Does this surprise you? Why or why not? What other works from Canadian playwrights would you love to see at the Festival Theatre?

Goldie Semple with members of the company in Les Belles-Soeurs, 1991.

Goldie Semple as Pierrette Guerin (left) with members of the company in Les Belles-Soeurs, 1991. Written by Michel Tremblay. Directed by Marti Maraden. Designed by Michael Goodwin. Lighting design by Louise Guinand. Photograph by Tom Skudra. Stratford Festival Archives, GPO.1991.001.0005

The Stratford Festival's Archives maintains, conserves and protects records about the Festival and makes those materials available to people around the world. Their collection contains material ranging from 1952 right up to the present and includes administrative documents, production records, photographs, design artwork, scores, audio-visual recordings, promotional materials, costumes, props, set decorations and much more. These materials are collected and preserved with the aim of documenting the history of the Festival, preserving the page-to-stage process, and capturing the creative processes involved in numerous other activities that contribute to the Festival each season.

Resources

RESOURCES

Trailer - Les Belles-Soeurs
House Program - Les Belles-Soeurs
Study Guide PDF - Les Belles-Soeurs

Study Guides

View past Study Guides and Study Guides for all 2023 plays, available free of charge on our website.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

1960 - The Quiet Revolution (Sociétés et Territoires, Récit, Learn)

The Beginning of a new Era (Musée Québécois de Culture Populaire)

Ontario's Quiet Revolution (Ontario Heritage Trust)

Québec - My Country, Mons Pays, Charting the Aftermath of Quebec's Quiet Revolution… Through the Lens of John Walker

The Quebec Quiet Revolution: A Noisy Evolution (Donald Cuccioletta and Martin Lubin, Quebec Studies Vol. 36, American Council for Quebec Studies)

The Quiet Revolution (Canada: A Country by Consent)

The Quiet Revolution (CBC Canada)

What is "Joual" in Québec (MaprofdeFrançais)

Stratford Public Library Suggested Reading List for Les Belles-Soeurs

Booking Information: Tickets, Workshops, Chats and Tours

Student Matinées

You may book any available date, but selected student matinée performances for this show are at 2:00 p.m. on the following dates:

Friday, September 1st
Wednesday, September 6th
Friday, September 15th
Wednesday, September 20th
Friday, September 22nd
Tuesday, September 26th
Friday, October 6th
Tuesday, October 17th

Workshop & Chats

Pre or Post-Show Workshops and Post-Show Chats (virtual, onsite or at your school/centre) can be booked by calling the Box Office at 1.800.567.1600.

Sponsorship

TOOLS FOR TEACHERS SPONSORED BY

Canada-Life_White(1)

Tools for Teachers include Prologues, Study Guides and Stratford Shorts.

PROUD SEASON PARTNERS

2019_BMO_White RBC_White(1)

PRODUCTION CO-SPONSOR

RBC_White(1)

SUPPORT FOR THE 2023 SEASON OF THE FESTIVAL THEATRE IS GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY DANIEL BERNSTEIN & CLAIRE FOERSTER.

PRODUCTION SUPPORT OF LES BELLES-SOEURS IS GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY SYLVIA D. CHROMINSKA, BY CATHY & PAUL COTTON, BY JANE FRYMAN LAIRD, BY DR. ROBERT J. & ROBERTA SOKOL AND BY DR. JOHN H. WHITESIDE.