« Jean-François, plus que parfait »

Langues Tordues/Twisted Tongues—Le Studio at Théâtre Cercle Molière

A direct call to government for accountability in protecting minority languages in Canada. ‘« Jean-François, plus que parfait »’ is a political satire that highlights injustices felt by many French Canadians and Indigenous language speakers.

The titular character, Jean-François, is the ideal francophone. He speaks absolute perfect French, never using any anglacisms (English words used in French). Through the power of sex he turns most of Canada into perfectly bilingual speakers, and yet this creates its own problems that politicians are ill-equipped to manage.

The play criticises Canada for being a country that claims to value linguistic diversity, yet fails to serve language minorities. The scene where the anglophone, the francophone, the queer francophone, and an Indigenous person reveal the receipts for what it cost them to become bilingual was particularly effective in illustrating intersectional issues.

While French Canadian experiences are the centre of this play, it attempts to reach all language minorities. For that reason, audiences who feel under-served in their first language will see something of their experience represented. Anyone who loves the French language, French people, and who cares about language minority issues should go see this play.

Shane Thevenot