History of Puppetry
in Canada

Pierre Régimbald and Nicole Lapointe

The partnership between Pierre Régimbald and Nicole Lapointe began in 1964. Both had been introduced to marionettes by Micheline Legendre, and had worked for her company, Les Marionnettes de Montréal. From the outset, they used different types of puppets – hand puppets, rod puppets, human-arm puppets – and explored the ways in which these could be integrated within a single production. From 1968 to 1977, they created ten productions for the youth program of Théâtre du Rideau Vert. These productions were presented each Sunday, as well as during the week for school groups. Being able to perform regularly in a permanent theatre – a rarity in North American puppetry – enabled Régimbald and Lapointe to pursue their aesthetic explorations, and to create shows whose quality was soon recognized. Their work also left its mark on television, including the creation and manipulation of the puppets of Nic et Pic and of Passe-partout: cult children's series of the 1970s and 1980s. In 1971, Pierre Régimbald began teaching at the Université du Québec à Montréal. His innovative approach inspired an entire generation of puppeteers, and cemented his reputation as an important figure in Quebec puppetry.