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The Play Guide for Blow Wind High Water was created by:
Jenna Turk Artistic Associate
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Blow Wind High Water runs from September 5th to 30th, 2017 For tickets, visit theatrecalgary.com or call (403) 294-7447 Front cover art direction and graphic design by Punch & Judy Inc. Photo of Stephen Hair by David Cooper.
Table of Contents THE BASICS The Company Who’s Who? The Story
1 3 3
EXPLORATIONS Meet the Playwright: Sharon Pollock An Interview with Set Designer Narda McCarroll Terms to Know The Blackfoot Language
4 7 10 11
CONVERSATIONS Conversation Starters Calgary: Come Hell or High Water Magic Realism: That’s the past blowin’ by Movie Night Recommended Reads from Calgary Public Library
13 14 17 20 21
Sources
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THE BASICS
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The Company September 5 to 30, 2017 World Premiere
BLOW WIND HIGH WATER By Sharon Pollock Director Set Design
Simon Mallett Narda McCarroll
Costume Design Lighting Design
Deitra Kalyn Michael Walton
Original Music and Sound Design Production Dramaturg Voice Coach
Andrew Blizzard
Shari Wattling
Jane MacFarlane
Linguistic Consultant
Dr. Heather Bliss
Siksika Blackfoot Translator Natóóhkitopi Siksika Blackfoot Translator Ikiómo’tstaan
Fred Breaker Noreen Breaker
Blow Wind High Water was commissioned by Theatre Calgary through FUSE: The Enbridge New Play Development Program.
THE BASICS
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THE CAST (in alphabetical order)
Teddy
Tyrell Crews
Gampy
Stephen Hair
Maggie
Alana Hawley
Doug
Doug McKeag
Gwynt Eva
Valerie Planche
Frankie Kevin
Julie Orton
Nadine Roden
Marshall Vielle Naatoa’yotako
Stage Manager
Patti Neice
Assistant Stage Manager
Head of Lighting
Tuled Giovanazzi
Catharine Crumb
Head of Sound
Chris Jacko
Head Stage Carpenter Wardrobe & Wig Master Assistant Head Dresser Stage Hand
Scott Morris Ron Siegmund
Rachel Michelle Sheridan Andrew Kerr
Cameras and audio/visual recording devices are not permitted in the theatre.
Video and audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.
Blow Wind High Water has one 20-minute intermission.
THE BASICS
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Who’s Who? Gampy: The aging patriarch of the Ferguson family; he may in fact be 113 years old. Gwynt: Someone who can only be seen or heard by Gampy. Doug: Gampy’s grandson, about 55 years of age. He is CEO of TDF Ltd., an oil service supplies and construction company founded by Gampy in the 1920’s/30’s. His leg is in a cast. Eva: A lawyer and Doug’s wife; in her mid-50’s. Maggie: Doug and Eva’s 31 year old daughter; she is also a lawyer. Teddy: Doug and Eva’s 33 year old son. He is a waiter. Kevin: 35 years old, a successful lawyer, and a member of the Siksika Nation. Frankie: Doug’s business associate; she is African-Canadian.
The Story A raging flood threatens three generations of Calgarians as they struggle to come together to keep from going under. With a surging river and an aged patriarch trapped in time, the family attempts to create a legacy worth inheriting by future generations. A profound, playful, and magical new Canadian play.
EXPLORATIONS
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Meet the Playwright: Sharon Pollock
Sharon Pollock
Born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Sharon Pollock has called Calgary home since the mid-sixties. An icon of Canadian Theatre, she has done it all: acting, writing, and even leading Theatre Calgary as its Artistic Director in 1984. A two-time Governor General’s Award winner, Sharon Pollock’s legacy continues not only with her new work, but as a mentor to artists across the country. Select Sharon Pollock plays previously produced by Theatre Calgary include: Walsh, Blood Relations, Doc, and Whiskey Six Cadenza. Theatre Calgary’s Artistic Associate, Jenna Turk, sat down with her prior to rehearsals: How did Blow Wind High Water come to be? The play was commissioned by Theatre Calgary’s former Artistic Directors Dennis Garnhum and Shari Wattling in 2015. They wanted something set in Calgary that touched on the 2013 flood. For me that location, date, and event held not literal but metaphoric meaning and significance. A flood overwhelms. Some things swept away, new or altered things take their place. It brings destruction and rebirth. An individual must go with the flow or attempt to stand against it. A flood signifies endings and beginnings. Floods are both natural events and the stuff of myths. These thoughts planted the seeds of the play.
EXPLORATIONS
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What is it like working with Theatre Calgary again? A lot of things are the same. It’s a pleasure to work with supportive, dedicated, and talented people, and that’s always been a hallmark of the Theatre Calgary company. The Max Bell Theatre has technical, financial, and human resources beyond that of the old Theatre Calgary in the 70’s and 80’s that operated out of a 450 seat renovated tractor warehouse on 9 th Ave SW. The present venue’s size and company scope opens up artistic and production choices. It’s been a particular joy to get a sense of Theatre Calgary’s future under the new artistic leadership and vision of Stafford Arima. Where did Gwynt (the character only seen and heard by Gampy) come from? I guess the only thing I can say is “out of my head” with thanks to the Muse who put her there. Gwynt is Welsh meaning “wind”, which was an additional gift. As much as Blow Wind High Water connects to so many universal themes: family, ageing, legacy, etc.; it strikes me as a particularly Calgarian play. It has a certain spirit! What defines the Calgarian spirit to you? I don’t think of that “spirit” as particularly Calgarian but as Albertan, and it’s an Alberta undergoing change. In the early 60’s I chose Alberta as home because of its spirit of independence, a maverick within a staid Canada. I saw the peoples of this place as frank, honest, and forthright even in expressing unpopular opinions whatever the consequences, no bullshit. They didn’t give up whatever the odds, they liked a good argument, and if voices were raised they didn’t wilt. Community was strong but they highly valued and supported the rights of the individual. They were suspicious of federal governance (in my opinion rightly so) and wary of any governance or control from above or below.
Individual
responsibility ranked high. They weren’t crybabies. They were a
EXPLORATIONS
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courageous entrepreneurial people. They lived life large and dreamed big. Time passes and things change. The Alberta spirit that appealed to me now manifests itself in different ways, not least of which is our awareness of the Indigenous Peoples of this place and what is owed them. I believe, however, the essence of that spirit still hovers over the land. I wanted Blow Wind High Water to somehow touch on all this.
What do you hope the audience will take away from this production? I hope they’ll be engaged and entertained. I hope some of the audience will find that the characters and their story resonate in some way with their own lives. I hope they’ll feel they’ve experienced in some small way some small parts of history that have made the place they live in the place it is. I hope they’ll leave with a sense of celebration and optimism. You are, as the bio above states, “an icon of Canadian Theatre.” Are you tired yet? Why do you keep writing? I suppose I must get tired on occasion. Who doesn’t? Why do I keep writing? What would I do if I didn’t? Why are new Canadian plays important? Are they? I hate labels so I reject “new” and “Canadian.” When I was younger I could tell you why plays were important. Now when I think of societal things that are important I’m not sure where I’d rank plays in the order of importance. Theatre is important to me, and perhaps it’s theatre’s failing that it is not important to more people who don’t happen to work in theatre. What advice would you to give to an emerging playwright today? Keep writing unless you can stop.
EXPLORATIONS
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An Interview with Set Designer Narda McCarroll
Narda McCarroll
Born in San Francisco and raised in Lethbridge by visual artist parents, Narda McCarroll dreamed of performing in Broadway Musicals. After earning a BFA and working as an actor (she was in Theatre Calgary’s production of Evita!), 20 years ago she made the switch to design to gain more control over her artistic life. Narda is an inventive and exciting designer, and Theatre Calgary is so pleased to have her back here –but in a different role! Artistic Associate Jenna Turk spoke with her about her work on Blow Wind High Water just before rehearsals began: With Blow Wind High Water being a brand new play, how much room was there for collaboration on the set design versus one that has previously been produced? I love collaborating on new plays. It’s exciting to be part of the first team to bring a work to life on stage. A new play has no road map for how to solve staging challenges. There are no images of past productions to help suggest what the world of the play requires. The director, playwright, and designers create that world together not knowing for sure what will work and what might not. The possibility of failure makes success that much sweeter.
EXPLORATIONS
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How have you incorporated the natural elements (like wind and water!) into the show? We are still a week away from beginning rehearsals for this premiere production, so we don’t yet know how we will be incorporating wind. We plan to experiment with fans to see if we can create some real wind onstage without being annoyed by the sound of the wind makers. We will try manipulating the painted muslin sky (the furthest upstage element of the design) to show the movement of wind. We may also test blowing fog and haze to see if it will create a sense of seeing the wind. I have included a number of rain curtains to represent rain in the production. It will not be real water but will hopefully create an impression of water in a magical, theatrical way. How does the set come alive? The set has a lot of moving elements coming from above and below. As the storm builds clouds and eventually rain press down on the characters becoming more and more oppressive. Many practical elements in the story – primarily furniture – will appear and disappear from the trap room on hydraulic platforms. Simon (the Director Simon Mallett), Sharon (the Playwright Sharon Pollock), and I all felt strongly that many of the scenes required realistic furniture pieces to ground the action but also needed to come and go as magically as possible. Lighting will be another key element in bringing the set to life. I can’t wait to see what Michael (Lighting Designer, Michael Walton) creates. Is it a challenge or a blessing designing for a space as big as the Max Bell Theatre? Why? Blow Wind High Water is a Calgary play, a prairie play. Wide open space is a part of it. The expansiveness of the Max Bell stage is an advantage as it gives us so much height and depth to play with and manipulate.
EXPLORATIONS
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Early design drawings by Narda McCarroll
How much was the design influenced by the magical elements of the play? Did you design the set with magic realism in mind? I am always drawn more strongly to plays that have a theatrical or magical quality to them. I love the magical elements of this play. I immediately knew that the piece would work best with a design that could quickly shift from one location to another and from the real to the unreal in an instant. I was never tempted to create a realistic house for Gampy’s family to inhabit. Much of the play lives within pockets of his mind. It feels right to only reveal impressions and snippets of his real world combined with more magical interpretations of his inner world and the storm that breaks around him.
“We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.” –Martin Luther King Jr.
EXPLORATIONS
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Terms to Know Willie McKnight: An Edmonton-born Calgary-raised, World War II Royal Air Force hero. McKnight Boulevard is named for him. Moh-kins-tsis:
The Blackfoot word for “elbow” and another name for
Calgary. Synapses:
Junctions between nerve cells that allow neurons to pass
electrical or chemical signals. It is generally believed that synapses play a role in the creation of memory. Sangam Bay: A fictionalized place traumatized by tsunamis, created by playwright Sharon Pollock. Dingman #1: Named for Walter Dingman who struck oil in 1914 in the foothills south of Calgary that ushered in Alberta’s first oil boom. Amber Valley and Keystone: Two of the original Alberta settlements led by early black immigrants via Texas and Oklahoma. Keystone is now known as Breton, Alberta. Sommelier: Someone trained with an extensive knowledge in wine and its food pairings. Often a waiter or maître d’ at a fine dining restaurant or hotel. Rig’s Bull Wheel: Part of the oil retrieval process that moves tools in and out of the ground. Well Casing: A large segment of pipe that is placed in a new hole drilled for oil excavation. Typically held in place with cement. Revolving pipe tongs: A mechanized tool for removing pipe and casing when breaking up a drill site. Brass Tacks:
An idiom originating in the 19th century meaning “the
essentials” or “basic facts.” Its exact origin is unknown. Shantytowns: A settlement of improvised housing often formed due to poverty, regularly lacking proper sanitation or a clean water supply. Emperor Pic:
A nickname for an infamous Italian immigrant, Emilio
Picariello, who bootlegged alcohol into Alberta during Prohibition. Berm: A raised mound of earth formed to act as a barrier between two areas. Retaining wall: A wall created to support soil, to hold it in or up and away from a particular area.
EXPLORATIONS
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Cross Currents:
When flows of water run over one another or when
memories conflict with one another. Rhodes Scholar: Someone who has been financially supported to attend the University of Oxford in England. A high intellectual honour and a lifelong fellowship. Greenhorn Talk: Something an inexperienced or naïve person would say. La Chumière: An elegant French restaurant located on 17th Ave in Calgary. Maritime Schooners:
Sailing vessels built with two masts popular in
Atlantic Canada Napi: A cultural hero of the Blackfoot tribe, known for being a trickster and demi-god. Also identified as Old Man.
The Blackfoot Language Blow Wind High Water features a character, Kevin, who is a member of the Siksika Nation. As Kevin was meant to be fluent in the Blackfoot language, playwright Sharon Pollock was adamant about writing his text as authentically as possible. For assistance with this and the translation, she enlisted the help of Siksika Blackfoot translators Ikinómo’tstaan (Noreen Breaker), and Natóóhkitopi (Fred Breaker), and Dr. Heather Bliss, an expert in linguistics with a specialization in the Blackfoot language. Here is a primer on the Blackfoot language courtesy of Dr. Heather Bliss: A Plains Algonquin language spoken in Southern Alberta and Northwestern Montana, Blackfoot has four dialects corresponding to the four reserves where Blackfoot is spoken:
Siksika (spoken on the Siksika reserve near Gleichen and the dialect used in the play)
Kainai (also called Blood, spoken on the Kainai/Blood reserve near Lethbridge),
Aapátohsipikani (also called Piikani or Northern Peigan, spoken on the Piikani or Peigan reserve to the west of Fort MacLeod)
EXPLORATIONS
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Aamsskáápipikani (also called Blackfeet or Southern Peigan, spoken on the Blackfeet reservation in Montana) The four dialects differ in various ways. Some words and phrases are pronounced differently across the dialects, and in some cases the dialects use different words to express similar concepts. For example, the word for ‘ice cream’ is isstonniki (literally ‘cold milk’) in the Kainai dialect, but aisstoyi (literally ‘that which is cold’) in the Siksika dialect. Blackfoot is a polysynthetic language, meaning almost every word consists of multiple parts, and words can consist of so many parts that often a single word is the equivalent of a full sentence. For example:
Iksi’táámomahkatoyiiksistsikomit! ik-i’taam-omahk-atoyi-iksistsiko-omi-t very-happy-big-holy-day-have-do Means: “Merry Christmas!” In recognizing Blackfoot, one may notice that the language does not have a word meaning ‘the,’ but instead uses demonstratives (words like ‘this,’ ‘that,’ ‘these,’ ‘those’). While English only has four demonstratives, Blackfoot has 900 which can be used to express a range of different properties, such as time, location, etc. They are often emphasized in a sentence, either by appearing as the first word or by being drawn out with a long vowel, and some Blackfoot speakers tend to use ‘this’ and ‘that’ instead of ‘the’ when speaking English. Another identifier of Blackfoot is its use of ‘soundless’ sounds. “Aa” and “ee” sounds at the ends of words are articulated but not pronounced with any sound. To speak Blackfoot properly, you cannot omit these soundless sounds, but you also cannot pronounce them with any sound. Careful listeners might see speakers moving their mouths in the gesture of making
EXPLORATIONS
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these sounds without any accompanying sounds (but it is often very subtle). If you are interested in hearing more Blackfoot spoken, check out Dr. Bliss’ online digital archive of contemporary Blackfoot stories told in various dialects here!
Conversation Starters
Are you from Calgary? If so, have you experienced a flood in your time here?
Did your family come together during that time? Did your community support you?
Do you believe nature’s elements can reflect the human crises?
How would you describe the Calgarian or Albertan spirit?
What lessons can we learn from Gampy?
Which character did you identify with the most? Were you able to connect to each of them?
Have you ever attended a world premiere production or seen a play by Sharon Pollock before?
Where else in the world could you imagine this play resonating? Why?
“What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.” –Chief Crowfoot
CONVERSATIONS
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Calgary: Come Hell or High Water
Theatre Calgary’s Shakespeare by the Bow trailer and dressing rooms under water during the 2013 flood (Photo by Chris Loach)
Situated at the confluence of two rivers, Calgary has a long and storied history with rising waters. The first people of the land, members of the Blackfoot Confederacy, were nomadic bison hunters and trout fisherman. They lived their lives based on the way the rivers were flowing and learned the best trails for avoiding high water. Their origin story, as shared by Kevin in Blow Wind High Water, believes that their creator made the earth from mud pulled by a muskrat from the bottom of deep water that he then rolled out on his palm and into which he moulded hills, valleys and mountains, and dug grooves for rivers and lakes. From water the earth was born, and so it seems to want to return. Since the founding of Calgary in 1875, there have been eleven key floods that have shaped this city and its community. Gampy runs through them off the top of his head, but do you remember them? 1863 -Icy waters take out the only pedestrian bridge and the Calgarian entrepreneurial spirit is born when a ship owner begins offering his transportation services – for a small tariff, of course.
CONVERSATIONS
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1884 -The Elbow River flood breaks all of Calgary’s bridges, and worst of all their logs then act as battering rams and take out 10 or 12 of CP Rail’s bridges as well. 1897 -Both rivers and surrounding creeks flood, causing over a quarter of a million dollars in damages to homes, businesses, and the city’s infrastructure despite the efforts of the City Fire Brigade and the Northwest Mounted Police. Generosity prevails though, when Mayor Orr gives lots of land from his own holdings in Inglewood to the 10 worst affected people, and a flood relief fund is started by Town Council. 1902 -Two separate floods overtake the city stranding many as the varying water levels lead them to believe they are safe to stay put in their homes. The power house in Eau Claire floods too, leaving the city without electricity, but City Council makes plans to construct a wall along the southern bank of the Bow from Prince’s Island to the Bridge now known as Reconciliation Bridge. 1915 -Record amounts of rainfall mean river waters rising rapidly with high winds and even a tornado at Redcliff. Three lives lost and three bridges carried away, but the Calgary Industrial Exhibition still opens on schedule! 1923 -After several years of drought, a flood arrives severely affecting those in Elbow Park. Mayor G.H. Webster orders all city trucks to bring boats to the area to assist with the rescue effort. Dirt roads, still the norm, wash away. 1929 -The worst flood hits since 1902! Bowness Park and St. George’s Island are completely submerged and the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede horse barns flood. The decision is made to build the Glenmore Waterworks System to deliver water to Calgary homes. 1932 -High water overtakes the Elbow, but the new Glenmore Reservoir and Dam contain the worst of the flooding. Because of advance warning, all of the animals at the zoo are kept safe. There are no more major floods between now and 2005…giving many Calgarians peace of mind that the Glenmore Dam will protect them.
CONVERSATIONS
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1950 -An ice jam near St. George’s Island causes a flood overtaking 435 homes, 4 apartment blocks including the Cecil Hotel, and the Dog Pound — the dogs are saved by the Fire Department. Cold water and low temperatures make rescue operations difficult, but local residents pitch in supplying hot coffee and meals. 2005 -June brings the largest amount of rainfall in Calgary’s history, a state of emergency is called, and this flood becomes one of the costliest natural disasters in the province’s history. 40,000 homes are damaged and over 1,500 people are evacuated — including the moose at the zoo. The need for a new state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Centre is identified. 2013 -The most destructive flood in Calgary’s history hits, displacing 110,000 people, closing all schools, shutting off all routes into downtown, and necessitates calling in the Canadian Army. The city unites under the rallying cry, “Come Hell or High Water,” and within a week of the state of emergency being lifted the LRT is back online, most damaged roads are repaired, and the Stampede goes ahead as planned despite severe destruction to the rodeo grounds and grandstand. Social media keeps people informed with everyone from the City of Calgary to Mayor Nenshi to the Calgary Police tweeting out updates as well as words of support. Costing approximately $1.7 billion, this flood is the costliest disaster in Canadian history up until the Fort McMurray Wildfires of 2016.
Dog pound rescue, 1950 (Photo courtesy of Glenbow Library and Archives NA-2869-181)
CONVERSATIONS
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Magic Realism: That’s the past blowin’ by It may be easy to simply describe Blow Wind High Water as a “contemporary family drama” or a “real Calgarian story”, but if one were to do so a crucial element of its makeup would be missing: magic. This new play by the remarkable Sharon Pollock is a fascinating blend of comedy, tragedy, and magic realism.
The cast of Theatre Calgary’s Beyond Eden* (photo by David Cooper)
The term coined in 1925 by German art critic Franz Roh in his essay, Magic Realism: Post-Expressionism, was originally used to discuss visual art, but soon evolved to include literature, and then theatre. He “wished to indicate that the mystery does not descend to the represented world, but rather hides and palpitates behind it.” While he may have been referencing the dimensions of a painting, the same principal is key for plays categorized as magic realism. For it is not that a fantastical world has been created, it is that the world is in fact very real – but so too is the magic. Its elements grow organically out of the reality portrayed. Sharon Pollock expounds on Blow Wind High Water, “In the play you have a real or natural world, a seemingly ordinary world, in which magical things happen and a supernatural character exists, without other ‘real’ characters acknowledging the magical aspect of either, although they are affected by it.” For example, there is no questioning from Gampy that Gwynt (his
CONVERSATIONS
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friend only he can see and hear) exists, and in this, Theatre Calgary’s premiere production, set pieces appear and disappear as plain as day.
Peter Anderson and Christopher Hunt in Theatre Calgary’s 7 Stories* (Photo by Trudie Lee)
While magic realism is often associated with Latin American writers (like Gabriel Garcia Márquez and Isabel Allende), they do not have a monopoly on the genre – although they are deservedly known for their mastery. It is a style that creates space for diverse stories, unites history with the imaginary, and allows for political and cultural disruption. It is perhaps unsurprising then that magic realism is particularly popular in postcolonial contexts, and has been embraced by Canadian artists of all kinds from poet Robert Kroetsch to novelist Yann Martel to playwright Sharon Pollock. Blow Wind High Water confronts a collective history (Gampy’s long-lasting patriarchy), bears witness to our current age (no electronics on the weekend!) and reconnects a community with past traditions (family before funds says Kevin). In Pollock’s Calgary, magic is normalized and true transformation is made possible. There is a freedom to the form that mirrors our Canadian wilderness and seems to celebrate living on the margins. From that vantage point, Mexican author and critic Louis Leal believes “the writer confronts reality and tries to untangle it, to discover what is mysterious in things, in life, in human acts.” Sharon Pollock agrees, “My plays are my attempts to make sense of myself and the world I live in.”
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It is worth noting that in the theatre magic is readily available (in Blow Wind High Water alone nature’s fiercest elements rage indoors and long lost loved ones are transported back to life), and so magic realism is perhaps most accessible on stage. Brian Quirt, Director of the Banff Playwrights Lab, says, “When I think of magic realism, I think it describes almost all theatre…theatre, of course, exists in the present and so invites all times to be present on stage simultaneously.” Therefore there is an essential liveness to the form which allows for the possibility of the impossible. While not all theatrical genres take advantage of this “magic,” it is always present. Blow Wind High Water travels through time and space with Gampy, from his first day through to his last with ghosts of all kinds controlling the forecast. Fortunately, he and we, the audience, are good hands with Sharon Pollock – and Gwynt leading the way. So, sit back, relax, and breathe in Blow Wind High Water. How many dimensions do you see?
The cast of Theatre Calgary’s The Little Prince* (Photo by Trudie Lee) *Photos featured in this article are examples of past Theatre Calgary productions that explored magic realism.
“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is let it rain.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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Movie Night Blow Wind High Water is a homegrown story of a Calgary family as they struggle with the legacies they’ve left and those that they prepare to leave behind. Using elements of magic realism, it offers a profound and playful look at a family story. Explore its themes with these notable films: Noah’s Ark (1928) An epic American melodrama, this film was made just as silent films were disappearing and talkies were on the way in, and incorporates both formats. It tells the biblical story of the flood that lasted forty days and forty nights, and parallels it with World War I. waydowntown (2000) Directed by University of Calgary alumni Gary Burns, this dark comedy with a surrealist bent focuses on a group of coworkers and their bet to see who can last the longest without going outside. Set in Calgary, the film features extensive footage of the Plus 15. Killer Flood (2003) This low-budget American made-for-TV movie is one part action movie and one part redemption story. When an overflowing damn threatens a town’s survival, its disgraced architect must save the day – and his family. Amélie (2001) A whimsical French romantic-comedy centred on the real and imagined world of its title-character, Amélie. Directed by visionary Jean-Pierre Jeunet; he uses vibrant colour enhancing techniques and digital effects to bring Amélie’s imagination to life. In the Wake of the Flood (2010) A Canadian documentary that follows the book launch for Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel, The Year of the Flood. Instead of a traditional reading, Atwood enlisted community groups to theatricalize her book and focused her energy not on selling, but instead on building environmental awareness. Click on the movie posters to read more about each film on imdb.com!
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Recommended Reads from Calgary Public Library By Jessica Corra
Price Paid: The Fight for First Nations Survival by Bev Sellars Nonfiction. 2016. An exploration of First Nations culture and history that should be required reading for anyone who makes decisions that affect Indigenous peoples and their land – like Doug’s decision to raise a berm.
You Might Be From Alberta If… by Dave Elston Nonfiction. 2016. Gampy repeatedly says that the family is Alberta strong, but what does that mean? Dave Elston’s quirky cartoons give us some insight.
At the End of Life: True Stories About How We Die with Lee Gutkind Nonfiction. 2012. Doug and Eva wrestle with the decision of how to best care for Gampy as he gets older. These poignant essays explore the current palliative care system—its strengths and its flaws—and the ways in which loved ones battle to hang on—and to let go.
What Makes a Baby by Cory Silverberg Nonfiction. 2012. Maggie, Teddy, and Kevin throw out some curveballs about sexuality and reproduction. If you’re only familiar with the traditional nuclear family like Doug and Eva, consider this adorable children’s book a primer on accepting arrangements that you might never have considered.
The Flood of 2013: A Summer of Angry Rivers in Southern Alberta from The Calgary Herald Nonfiction. 2013. The events of Blow Wind High Water happen during a storm and rising floodwaters. Calgary has had many floods, but the 2013 flood was the most devastating one in the city’s history. Click on the book covers to check availability at Calgary Public Library!
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Sources “7 names for Calgary before it became Calgary.” CBC News Calgary. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-names-elbow-1.3345967
“Alberta’s Al Capone: The story of infamous bootlegger Emilio Picariello.” Vue Weekly. http://www.vueweekly.com/albertas-al-capone-the-story-of-infamousbootlegger-emilio-picariello/
Bird Grinnell, George. “Blackfoot Legends – Blackfoot Creation.” http://www.legendsofamerica.com/na-blackfootcreation.html
Dempsey, Hugh A. Calgary: Spirit of the West. Saskatoon: Fifth House Ltd., 1994.
“Dingman No.1 Discovery Well.” Heritage Park. http://www.heritagepark.ca/park-information/attractions-andexhibits/dingman-no1-discovery-well.html
“Flooding in Calgary 1883-2013.” Calgary Public Library. http://floodstory.com/
“Get down to brass tacks,” Grammarist. http://grammarist.com/usage/get-down-to-brass-tacks/
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Merriam Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/
Parkinson Zamora, Lois, & Faris, Wendy (Eds.). Magical Realism. Durham: Duke University Press, 1995.
“What are Rig Tongs used for?” Keystone Energy Tools. http://keystoneenergytools.com/blog/what-are-rig-tongs-used-for
“What is a Rhodes Scholarship?” Rhodes Trust. https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarship/what-is-the-rhodesscholarship/