Metallic noises, then sudden silence — that’s how, one night, Louve Reiniche-Larroche’s mother abruptly lost her hearing. This deeply personal drama has since been transformed by her daughter into a poignant show where autofiction meets documentary.

In the hushed setting of a living room, she introduces us, one by one, to her grandfather, grandmother, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter as she pieces together the puzzle of a family crisis. Each character emerges from the actress’s sound recordings, meticulously brought to life through lip-syncing, giving them form and mimicking their voices in a playback style. She embodies each character with humour and tenderness, from her grandfather with a fading memory to her lively 5-year-old niece. Central to their discussions is Brigitte, the mother figure, and how her life has been shaped by the tragedy.

What must her mother’s world be like now, without sounds? The cacophony of life — voices, breaths, laughter — is suddenly replaced by an unforgiving silence. On stage, a hemp canvas thrown over the furniture stifles the slightest sound. Moving from static to distortions, the production makes sound central to the stage design, underscoring its absence, necessity and essence.