Quebec play ‘Kisses Deep’ makes English-Language premiere at Centaur Theatre
Posted November 27, 2025 8:18 pm.
Last Updated November 27, 2025 8:39 pm.
Making its debut in French back in 2021, Michel Marc Bouchard’s acclaimed play Kisses Deep is back, this time with a twist. The hit production is receiving its English-language premiere at Montreal’s Centaur Theatre, bringing together some of Quebec’s biggest francophone and anglophone theatre stars.
“It’s those kinds of plays where you just feel an instant connection to it,” said Kevin Raymond, actor playing Hugo in Kisses Deep. “And it’s great. It’s exciting. It’s a great play! I’m working with like, crème de la crème, you know, of Montreal’s talents. It’s, I mean, Leni Parker, Yves Jacques, Alice Pascual, Lyndz Dantiste, they’re all amazing actors.”
Set in a small town in rural Quebec, the story centers around Hugo, played by Raymond, whose passion for fashion and dream of becoming a designer intertwines with his quest to restore his mother’s tarnished reputation after she is arrested for assault.
“It’s kind of like the culmination of everything happening in Hugo’s life and her life exploding,” said Leni Parker, actor playing Beatrice in Kisses Deep. “It’s how this small town of characters interacts with each other and how their lives are affected from what’s happened with the incident. The relationship between Beatrice and Hugo is the sort of main body of the piece.”
“It’s a story about love, family and redemption, basically,” said Raymond. “It’s a story about relationships and, the importance of a mother in a young man’s life. Yeah, and it’s about, finding oneself.”
“I think the story relates to people on a local level,” said Michael Gianfrancesco, set designer for Kisses Deep. “There’s references to Montreal in the production, but it’s also a story that everyone can relate to.”
With rich characters and an imaginative set created by many members of the original creative team, the haunting fashion drama draws audiences directly into Hugo’s inner world and his complex relationship with his mother.
“We wanted the set design to really reflect the character of Hugo and his world, and for it to also have a very kind of dream-like quality,” said Gianfrancesco. “So, we see everything in the show visually through Hugo’s eyes and Hugo’s imagination.”
For those who missed opening night, Centaur Theatre is staging up to eight performances a week of Kisses Deep, running Tuesday to Sunday until Dec. 14.
“It’s great to get out of the house this time of year and experience something with other humans and share that for an evening,” said Parker. “I think it’s important right now!”
