Nous, dans les plaines immenses

As he drives, he remembers his own journey since arriving at the border on foot, 25 years ago: the birth of his son; the major challenges his little family faced; his job delivering giant party inflatables; the literary festival where he recited Nelligan phonetically, not understanding a single word; learning French, with all the comic misunderstandings that come with that; and his first time onstage… All the years hovering between the hope of a fresh start and the guilt of having left his people behind, surprised at the ready smiles of locals, frustrated at so often being misunderstood and always haunted by what’s happening back there, where a warring Russia is imposing its will. But his troubled relationship with the homeland takes an unexpected turn, through the destiny of his son who is planning to go fight in Ukraine.

A skilful blend of humour and gravity, Nous, dans les plaines immenses is the next chapter in the fascinating tale inspired by the life of actor Sasha Samar, a Ukrainian-born longtime Montrealer, which started with Nous, dans les plaines immenses (CTD’A, 2012 and Duceppe, 2024). While the first installment covered the 25 years before leaving his country of origin, the second chapter looks at the next 25 years, from his arrival in Canada to the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. In an intimate tone, supported by inventive staging, Sasha breaks the fourth wall to take us on a trip through the episodes of his life and recount his integration to Québec. In this new work, Olivier Kemeid returns to his friend’s story and launches his own exploration of exile, rebuilding a life in a new land, the transmission of values and how younger generations forge their own identities. What do we carry with us from the country we leave behind? How can our children make this heritage their own?