ABOUT | Théâtre du Renard

Science describes accurately from outside, poetry describes accurately from inside.
Science explicates, poetry implicates. Both celebrate what they describe.

Ursula K. Le Guin, author

Mission statement

Established in 2015, Théâtre du Renard is a performing arts company that carries out a variety of projects, predominantly in object theater. Our work targets a diversity of audiences, from youth to teens to adults.

Théâtre du Renard's mission is to convey specialized knowledge from fields such as science, economics and philosophy to its audience. The company's clever approach uses the power of images, poetry and humor to make complex ideas accessible and interesting to all.

Le Théâtre du Renard est membre de l'Association québécoise des marionnettistes (AQM), de l'Association des compagnies de théâtre (ACT) et d'ELAN Quebec.

Vision

Théâtre du Renard takes its name from the character of the Fox in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince. Like the Fox, the company invites its audience to get acquainted with new experiences : hybrid and transdisciplinary theatrical forms, topics rarely explored on stage, new relationships between artists and audience.

Science allows us to delve into relatively uncharted artistic territory and explore ideas that seldom take center stage with general audiences. Science proposes a new point of view that enriches an audience's sensibility. For us, the goal of art is neither to convince, nor to sell, nor to give answers. To make art is to question, to challenge our own perspectives, to evoke, to inspire. This is its greatest power: it opens us up to new realities, thereby transforming us. What better ally in this than science, an exploration led by human curiosity from which new questions are constantly arising?

We wish to use our role as artists to turn scientific discoveries into inspiring stories of exploration.

Why a fox?

The company's name was inspired by the character of the Fox in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince. As the Fox does, we invite our audience to discover new performer-audience relationships and innovative interdisciplinary scenic forms, often presented in non-theatrical or intimate venues.

Like the Fox who asks to be tamed, our theatre wants to create an encounter between the ideas that have changed the world and the general public, thereby making great historical currents and heroic figures apprehensible.

"I cannot play with you," the fox said. "I am not tamed."

"Ah! Please excuse me," said the little prince.

But, after some thought, he added:

"What does that mean--'tame'?"

"It is an act too often neglected," said the fox. It means to establish ties."

"'To establish ties'?"

"Just that," said the fox. "To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world . . ."

Le Petit Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

History

Since its beginnings, the company's artistic work has been recognized by awards for its shows as well as by the allocation of creation grants to its director and founder, Antonia Leney-Granger.

Since 2017, Théâtre du Renard has been supported by Théâtre de la Pire Espèce, pioneers of object theater in Quebec, who have recognized the quality of the company's artistic work. This support takes the form of artistic mentorship on creations, as well as occasional financial and logistical support via the Accueil-éclair program at Théâtre Aux Écuries.

The quality of the company's projects based on scientific knowledge has also attracted the attention of renowned organizations and researchers in the scientific sector: Espace pour la vie and Acfas are amongst its partners.

Creations

2023-24

La rébellion du minuscule

Quantum physics and object theatre

Partners : Canada Arts Council, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Maison de la Culture Côte-des-Neiges, Maison de la Culture Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie, Maison de la Culture Janine-Sutto, Théâtre Aux Écuries, Théâtre de la Pire Espèce, Casteliers, Rencontre Théâtre Ados, Festival Phénoména

Creation: January 2024, Théâtre Aux Écuries, Montréal
2024-25 : Tour (Montréal, Laval, Québec, Longueuil) - full calendar

2021-2023

Enracinés - Récits de nature

Nature writing podcast

Winner of the Culture and ecological transition grant awarded by Conseil régional de l’environnement de Montréal (2023)

Partners : Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Espace pour la vie, Coeur des sciences, Arrondissement de Saint-Laurent, Arrondissement Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

2018-2019

15 minutes de physique quantique
Short performance for street festivals

Festival Marionnettes Plein la Rue (Verdun)
Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes (Charleville-Mézières, France)

2015-2019

A Brief History of Time / Une brève histoire du temps

Astrophysics and object theatre

Presented in : Réseau Accès Culture, ROSEQ, festivals spécialisés (Québec, Ontario)

Winner of the 2 theatre awards at Festival Vue sur la Relève (2019)

Other activities :

Object theatre workshop for science students and professionals (Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke, Musée de la civilisation, Science&You colloquium (France))
Art-science networking activities (Labos du Renard, art-science speed dating, Réveillon du minuscule)
Les saisons enracinées : Cultural outreach project combining the discovery of urban nature and artistic creation, aimed at new immigrants to Montreal (2024)

Leadership

Antonia Leney-Granger

Artistic and General Director

Credit : Julie Artacho

General and artistic director of Théâtre du Renard, Antonia Leney-Granger is a Montreal artist and educator specializing in object theater and transdisciplinary creation, particularly bridging the gap between art and science. Her insatiable curiosity is the starting point for each of her creations, which explore the transmission of knowledge in a playful and poetic way. The world of physics inspired her shows Une brève histoire du temps (2019) and La rébellion du minuscule (Théâtre Aux Écuries, 2024). Her interdisciplinary practice also enabled her to take part in the storytelling evening Conte&Science at the Dimanches du conte (2022) and to create the podcast-exhibition Blind date - Portraits de marionnettistes (2015-17).

Since 2022, she has been exploring ecology and the human-nature relationship via the podcast Enracinés | Récits de nature and the cultural outreach project Les saisons enracinées (2024).

She builds bridges between artists and scientists by organizing events, workshops and training courses, notably with the Bureau du patient partenaire (Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal), the Université de Sherbrooke and the Science & You symposium (Université de Lorraine, France). She also offers object theater coaching to other artists such as Camille Banville Mila, Patricia Rivas, Nadyne Bédard and Marie-Pier Fournier.

Antonia works with several cultural organizations as a teacher, creator and assistant director (Théâtre de la Pire Espèce, Rencontre Théâtre Ados). Very involved in her community, Antonia was vice-president of the Association Québécoise des Marionnettistes (AQM) from 2018 to 2024, sat on the board of UNIMA-Canada (2020-24) and was involved with the organization of the OUF! Festival Off Casteliers (2015 to 2018 and 2023).Since 2022, she sits on the Culture and Ecological Transition Commission of Culture Montréal.