Robert Gurik

Gurik, Robert

Robert Gurik, dramatist (b at Paris, France 16 Nov 1932). He immigrated to Canada in 1951 and qualified as an engineer before deciding to devote himself to theatre. His 2 dozen plays treat a variety of themes, from the one-act satire Le Chant du poète (1963) to the science fiction of Api 2967 (1966), the Kafkaesque Le Procès de Jean-Baptiste M. (1972, depicting an average Québecois who, out of frustration, turns to violence and revenge against society) and On s'est trompé de boulevard (1992), dealing in whimsical fashion with racism and economic imperialism. Apart from Le Pendu (1967), Gurik's best-known plays have strong political content, especially his parody of contemporary Canadian politicians, Hamlet, prince du Québec (1968), Play Ball (1974) and La Baie des Jacques (1978). He is the author of 2 novels, Spirales (1966) and Jeune Délinquant (1980).