Who’s watching when I close my eyes offers a three-part reflection on the unconscious forces that shape both our inner worlds and our collective actions. If, despite our longing for freedom, we endlessly repeat the same patterns and submit to invisible forces, are our fates already sealed?
A woman allows herself to be carried by the underground currents of the unconscious. Following a thread that knots itself endlessly, she goes in search of the shadow selves that inhabit her. Together, they trace the map of an unknown territory, where fear and desire stir. At once identical and opposing, tangible and elusive, these figures – somewhere between child, woman, monster, and animal – recognize and confront one another.
A small group takes possession of the stage, first placing a white cube at its centre, the canvas for an artistic installation. Then, following a precise set of instructions, the clan slowly erects a machine with an uncontrollable purpose. Trapped in a cycle of execution and repetition, unable to break the thread of forces they have set in motion, they become both the operators and the witnesses of a vast project of destruction.
In the remains of the installation, a man steps forward to tell us a story. With his words and his needles, he knits together the thread of history, tracing the path of our shared humanity. Drawing from our collective imagination, his narrative lets the faint echo of a promise emerge in the face of our powerlessness and the absurdity of the world.
Photos : Thibault Carron
Video : Maxiem Pelletier-Huot
Concept development, Direction and Scenography : Catherine Bourgeois
Performance and Co-Creation : Stéphanie Colle, Jacques L’Heureux, Papy Maurice Mbwiti, Érika Miller and Carol Prieur
Dramaturgy : Sara Fauteux, in collaboration with Catherine Bourgeois, Pénélope Bourque, Amy Keith, Flavie Lemée and Papy Maurice Mbwiti
Set and Costume Design : Amy Keith
Sound Design : Alexis O’Hara
Lighting Design : Flavie Lemée
Script and Production Management : Pénélope Bourque
Technical Direction : Sarah Merrette-Fournier
Rehearsal Stage Manager, Actor Coaching and Support : Étienne Laforge
Movement Coach : Rachel Harris
Set and prop collaboration : Carl Vincent and Alizée Millot
Set and Props Management : Clémence Archambault
Production Assistance : Alexie Pommier
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Co-produced by The National Arts Centre’s National Creation Fund
Co-presented at Espace Libre, with creation residencies at the Maison de la culture du Plateau-Mont-Royal and Salle-Pauline-Julien
The creation process for Who’s watching when I close my eyes will continue through to its premiere in early March 2027. This information is subject to change, and this page will be updated as new information becomes available. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.
Running time : 90 minutes
Touring team : 9 people
- 5 performers
- 1 Technical Director and Stage Manager
- 1 Assistant Stage Manager and Performer Support
- 1 Production Assistant and Performer Support
- 1 Tour Director and Performer Support
Technical needs :
- Proscenium or black box theatre with audience risers
- Maximum house capacity : 350
- Minimum stage area dimensions : 28 ft wide × 26 ft deep × 14 ft high
Touring notes :
Set-up the day before the performance; the set is lightweight and transported by the touring team.
Accessibility :
The following accessibility options can be provided in collaboration with presenters :
- with English surtitles
- in a relaxed performance format
- with audio description and a tactile tour of the set
- with interpretation in Quebec Sign Language (LSQ)
Relaxed performances are offered on the 12th and the 13h of March 2027, at Espace Libre. More accessible options will be available soon (English surtitles, audio description and LSQ), more details to come.
An accessibility guide for the production will also be available two weeks prior to the premiere to support audience members in preparing for the performance.
