Je suis William: An unruly Elizabethan musical theatre piece

To be or not to be Shakespeare: that has been the question for 400 years! Adding to the vast array of theories about the legendary playwright’s true identity, the cheeky Rébecca Déraspe offers her own: What if Shakespeare was actually… his sister? This lively comedy for three flamboyant performers takes a delightfully feminist and rebellious look at history.

At night, 13-year-old Margareth writes. In secret, of course, since in 1577 women risk death if caught learning. Boys go to school, girls stay at home! When William discovers his sister’s immense talent, he decides to help her. But how do you make a treasure shine when it has to stay hidden? Will the brother–sister duo manage to bend the rigid rules of their world? Like a mirror, the play also reflects our own era. Have we truly resolved gender inequality?

With its comical shifts in tone, inventive staging, and expressive sung interludes, this contemporary tale dressed in period costume arrives just in time to wrap the holiday season in a fascinating Elizabethan veil, adorned with a touch of irreverence.