About
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.
The company is a member of ELAN Quebec, the Association québécoise des marionnettistes (AQM) and the Regroupement des Arts de Rue du Québec (RAR).
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.
Achievements
2018-2023
La rébellion du minuscule (in creation)
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Antonia Leney-Granger, director of the company, receives two CALQ grants from for the research and creation of this project
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Creation residencies : Maison de la Culture Côte-des-Neiges, Maison de la Culture Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie
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Presentation of a creation site during the Rencontre Théâtre Ados (2021)
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Presentation of the project at the Café-causerie of the Festival Casteliers (2020)
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Presentation of a work in progress : Festival Phénomena (2019)
2018-2019
15 minutes de physique quantique (creation and tour)
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Festival Marionnettes Plein la Rue (Verdun)
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Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes (Charleville-Mézières, France)
2015-2019
A brief history of time (creation and tour)
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Accès Culture network and specialized festivals (Montréal, Québec, Trois-Rivières)
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The show received the 2 touring theatre awards during the Festival Vue sur la Relève (2019), given by the Maison de la Culture Villebon de Beloeil and Borough of Saint-Laurent (Accès Culture)
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In 2019, le show was translated into English and had a sold-out run at Montreal's Fringe Festival
2015
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Foundation of the company
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Start of outreach activities. Main partners : Rencontre Théâtre Ados, Maison de la Culture Côte-des-Neiges
Art-science networking and other activities
Participation in various colloquiums and round tables on transdisciplinary artistic work.
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ACS Congress April 2019
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CommSciConQc June 2020
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CRICLQ Congress March 2021
Organization of a series of conferences and networking activities between artists and scientists, the Labos du Renard, in partnership with the Maison de la Culture Côte-des-Neiges.
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When art meets science (February 2020)
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Ecological Transition - Creating new narratives that lead to action (September 2020)
Team
Antonia Leney-Granger
Artistic Direction
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). Since 2022, she has been exploring ecology and the human-nature relationship via the podcast Enracinés | Récits de nature.
Antonia works with several cultural organizations as a teacher, creator and assistant director (Théâtre de la Pire Espèce, Théâtre du Tandem, Rencontre Théâtre Ados). Highly involved in her community, Antonia sits on the boards of the Association Québécoise des Marionnettistes (AQM) and collaborates actively with the OUF! Festival Off Casteliers. She sits on the Culture and Ecological Transition Commission of Culture Montréal.
Crédit : Julie Artacho
Partners
Board of Directors
President of the board
Daniel Granger, L.LL., MBA, ARP, FSCRP, C.M.
President, ACJ Communication
Secretary
Marco Patriarco, L.LL.
Consultant
Treasurer
Samuel Dubois
Architect, MOAQ
Stella Leney, Ad.E, IAS.A
Lawyer and Aministrator
Antonia Leney-Granger
Artistic Director, Théâtre du Renard
