The House of Martin Guerre

The House of Martin Guerre is a musical written by Leslie Arden (music, lyrics & co-book) and Anna Theresa Cascio (co-book). It is inspired by the 16th century French peasant Martin Guerre. It was first produced by Theatre Plus under the direction of Duncan McIntosh in Toronto (1993) at the Jane Mallett Theatre. It won the 1994 Dora Mavor Moore Award. It was then developed further by the Canadian theatrical producer Livent and went on to be produced by Chicago’s Goodman Theatre in 1996. It was directed by David Petrarca and received the Best Musical 1996 Jefferson Award. Variety said the show was “so fresh, so resoundingly complete and rewarding, that there is talk her first major show may yet land on Broadway”. In 1997, it was once again produced in Toronto by the Canadian Stage Company again directed by David Petrarca. Arden was nominated with a Chalmers Award for her work.

In 2018, it was performed in concert at the Charlottetown Festival in Prince Edward Island, starring Adam Brazier, Joseé Boudreau, Rebecca Poff and Craig Fair. Narration was provided by Julain Molnar, who originated the role of Bertrande.

...In 1991, she began working on the Martin Guerre story, creating music and lyrics at the same time. The story is famous, a 16th-century tale of a young French peasant farm boy who was forced into an arranged marriage. The unhappy Martin Guerre deserted his wife Bertrande and baby son, returning eight years later to assume his position as head of the family and heir to the Guerre land. According to legend, Bertrande readily accepted her husband, who had apparently been transformed into a loving and caring partner. Four years later, however, she suddenly denounced him as an impostor, and he was jailed and sent to trial.