Like most actors, Brigitte Lafleur did not act in the theater during the pandemic and happily stayed with her daughter Agathe. As life has resumed its course, the actress sees a great year in theater ahead of her, a real blessing for the mother but also for her daughter, who joyfully follows her backstage. As the saying goes, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree…
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Photo: Bruno Petrozza
Brigitte, you will be on the TNM stage this fall. It’s a great project in perspective!
Yes, and getting a call from TNM is always a nice surprise. I was happy to return to this stage where I hadn’t played for a while. I love gang shows we missed so much. In Le roman de Monsieur Molière, I am part of the troupe of this classic. I play Mademoiselle de Brie. The text is by Bulgakov, a Ukrainian whose idol was Molière. Both were censored during their lifetime. The play allows us to revisit mythical scenes from the literature of this great playwright. As the show progresses, we feel more and more the tragedy in Molière’s life. His life was not rosy and it still speaks to us today. The historical aspect is also interesting. There is as much comedy as there is tragedy.
Do you have other projects in the program?
A year in theater is coming up. I’ll be continuing The Neighbors on tour in January, then I’ll focus on the play Santa Claus is a junk which will be presented next summer. I, who spent two years staying home every evening, am reconnecting with the stage. The timing is perfect because during the pandemic my daughter was smaller and I always liked to be with her in the evenings. She’s at an age now where she can keep up and enjoy it. She even has chores in the theater when she accompanies me.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/QMI AGENCY
Do you entrust him with small tasks?
Yes, she takes notes, gives the actors water. I like going to the theater with her. I used to find it difficult to go there sometimes because I missed her and she missed me. Currently the dynamic is different and it is very pleasant. If she doesn’t want to come, she can stay at home. Anyway, my family is close by. We have no shortage of people ready to welcome Agathe! (laughs)
The performance plan is not too difficult for her?
No, because we mainly play on weekends. We organize ourselves wonderfully. Agathe and I used to be together so much that there was a bit of separation anxiety once we got back to normal. During the pandemic we were always together, merged. Since then we have found the perfect balance. She is happy when I go to work and she also likes the times when we are together. Everything is perfect!
Is your daughter interested in this job?
yes i confirm At the age of eight she took acting lessons. Sometimes she sees herself as a director and sometimes she wants to act. She also sometimes says she wants to be a singer, but let’s say she never says she wants to be an accountant… (laughs) She’s interested in art, that’s for sure! We tried to get him to like sports but it didn’t work. She loves drawing, painting. It’s really nice to see how our child is developing.
Photo: Eric Carriere / TVA Pub
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You mentioned the family bubble earlier. Your couple obviously passed the test…
Knock on wood: I hope it will be a lifetime between us. They say love lasts three years. In fact, when you’re in a relationship, you have to make a choice to stay and move on. Mario and I have been together for 20 years and we still choose each other year after year. We are working on our pair. Sometimes butterflies are reborn. That’s it, 20 years of marriage! It’s nice! I strive to follow the example of my parents and my in-laws who are still together. It is wonderful! It helps put into perspective the moments when we dwell on nonsense. (laughs) Sometimes, when we’re not feeling well, it’s easy to dump our excess onto our spouse. It is necessary to be vigilant.
Is your lover your best friend?
Yes, and we say it regularly. It’s a wonderful adventure. I remember our beginnings. When he left for Paris for the first time after a year of relationship, I cried at the airport! That doesn’t happen anymore, and that’s a good thing! (laughs) When we’re young, we imagine that it will last a lifetime, that it will be different for us. The moment comes when you have to admit that love isn’t all big butterflies and that passion isn’t eternal.
You, who move so often, have you discarded?
Yes, we want to be in the house we bought for a long time. We didn’t refurbish it all at once like our other homes. We’re making progress bit by bit. It makes you want to stay there longer. We make plans for the future. It’s a house I’ve wanted for a long time and we made it happen. Our desire to renovate is reborn. I feel that we are cooking. (smiles) I set up a nice studio there. I still paint and am also writing a TV series with a friend. All of this requires mental freedom, which you don’t have when moving and renovating.
The novel by Mr. Moliere will be presented at TNM from November 8th to December 3rd.
The comedy Neighbors goes on tour again on January 7th. Info here.
Brigitte is to present us with a new exhibition in the coming months.
We inquire at: www.brigittelafleur.com.