History of Puppetry
in Canada

Théâtre Sans Fil

Théâtre Sans Fil was created in 1971 by Claire Ranger and André Viens, both of whom were graduates of the dramatic arts program at the Université du Québec à Montréal, where they were introduced to puppetry by Pierre Régimbald. From the outset, Théâtre Sans Fil drew its inspiration from bunraku technique, and geared its productions towards the use of giant puppets. Originally aiming its productions at adults, Théâtre Sans Fil later went on to create works for a broader audience. National, then international, tours began with Le Ciel Bleu Prend Femme and
Le Corbeau Blanc: works created in the late 1970s, and based on Aboriginal legends. Since that time, productions by Théâtre Sans Fil have been presented in more than 20 countries. The company's performances often rely on special effects, and are usually large-scale productions; some works have even been conceived for accompaniment by symphony orchestra. Since 2003, the company has its own performance arts creation and production centre. Located in a heritage building in Montreal – the Caserne Letourneux – it provides all the space necessary for the development of the company's large scale productions.

Website - Théâtre Sans Fil