Annabel Soutar

Annabel Soutar (nacida en 1971) es una dramaturga canadiense especializada en teatro documental . ^{[ 1 ]}

Annabel Soutar nació en Westmount, Quebec , ^{[ 1 ] [ 2 ]} hija de Ian Alexander Soutar, banquero de inversiones y filántropo, y Helgi Soutar. Tiene dos hermanos, James Soutar y Adam Soutar. ^{[ 3 ]}

Se graduó con una licenciatura en inglés de la Universidad de Princeton en 1994 después de completar una tesis de grado de 174 páginas, titulada "Of Beauty Born - A Journal of the Creative Process", bajo la supervisión de Michael Cadden. ^{[ 4 ]} En Princeton, estudió inglés y teatro y descubrió las primeras obras documentales de Anna Deavere Smith , cuyas obras la influyeron para crear drama que se centra principalmente en la acción social y la crítica. ^{[ 5 ]}

En 1998, Soutar y su esposo, el actor Alex Ivanovici , comenzaron a trabajar en la obra Novembre entrevistando a personas sobre las elecciones provinciales de Quebec de ese año . Al carecer de un título oficial para este proyecto, Soutar e Ivanovici idearon el nombre "Porte Parole" (que significa "portavoz" en francés), que desde entonces se ha convertido en una compañía de Montreal galardonada. ^{[ 6 ]} Soutar sigue siendo la directora artística de Projet Porte Parole y se centra en producir teatro de relevancia social inmediata. ^{[ 1 ]}

Soutar's work explores contemporary issues such as the high-tech industry (2000 Questions, 2002), the health care system in Quebec (Sante, 2002),^[7] and the 2006 collapse of the De la Concorde overpass in Montreal that left five people dead (Sexy Béton (which translates to English as 'Sexy concrete'), 2009).^[8][9] Soutar gained national acclaim for her play Seeds, a re-enactment of the legal battle between Percy Schmeiser and Monsanto Inc,^[10][11][12] which was called "one of the most important new works to appear on the Canadian stage in recent times."^[13] Most recently, her play The Watershed was commissioned to appear as part of the cultural events associated with the 2015 Pan American Games.^{[14][15][16][17]}

Soutar's work is notable both for its exploration of contemporary issues and for its inclusion of herself, her friends, and her family as characters. In The Watershed, for instance, Soutar, played by Kristen Thomson, leads her family (portrayed by other actors) on a cross-country journey in an effort to understand why a federal omnibus bill eliminated funding for the Experimental Lakes Area. Her children are played by other actors while her husband, actor Alex Ivanovici, plays himself.^[18] Her theatrical style incorporates elements of both epic theater and naturalism^[19] and her scripts are compiled by recreating dialogue from published transcripts or personal interviews.^[20]

Soutar has had two daughters with Ivanovici, Beatrice and Ella.^[16]

Soutar has been nominated for several awards by the Soirée des Masques de l'Académie québécoise ("Prix de la Revelation" 2001),^[7] Académie québécois du théâtre (Best New Text, Best English Production, 2006),^[21] and Le Prix Michel Tremblay (2009).^[22]

• Soutar, Annabel, Seeds. Talonbooks, Vancouver, British Columbia. 2012.
• Soutar, Annabel, La cuenca hidrográfica . Talonbooks, Vancouver, Columbia Británica. 2015.