FOR THE NORTH ISLAND ZONE FESTIVAL
AND UP THEY FLEW by Marsha Ross
Directed by Annie Smith
Article Written by Kirstin Humpherys – AUTF – Co-producer-NIZ contact
And Up They Flew is like a British Farce with a Canadian West Coast twist. Annie Smith’ synopsis for the play reads: Seven mismatched characters meet up for a weekend in a British country manor in 1936. There are rumblings of war in Europe – an uncertain time that presages our own. It is British Farce, with comings and goings in the middle of the night, a seance, characters trying desperately to find a place to have a clandestine affair, a mad inventor, a shell-shocked WWI veteran, a woman pilot wanting to fly solo across the Atlantic, a 95 year old woman who runs away to be with her true love, and a maid who isn’t a maid. And now add in the twist. The author, Marsha Ross, had a dream 20 years ago about a Haida Gwaii Chief and a Raven. And this play is a result of that night time adventure.
Annie had directed this play before and contacted Martha Ross for the rights to perform it by CLT.
She was delighted and it turns out she has a strong connection to our area. Annie contacted the Haida Hereditary Chief Council regarding the play’s reference to the traditional knowledge of their people in the production. They graciously sent their support for the project.
So now it was just getting a cast and crew, set design, sound design, lighting design, props, specialty props, costumes, advertising and everything else we do so well…..you know the drill. This play demands a lot of physicality….running in and out, falling over furniture, fainting, dancing, stumbling around the stage with one foot in a bucket. (Yes that is true). All was choreographed and practised over an over with safety the foremost concern. Because there were romantic scenes in this play we asked for help from an Intimacy Coordinator. We are lucky to have a practising one in the Valley. They are being used now as standard practice in professional and community productions and in the film industry. This play its not all comedy. Dramatic themes of the growing movement of Women’s Liberation, the traumatic residue of WWI with Ted’s, what is now called, PTSD and the looming of another World War. All of them are touched on and culminate in the ending of the sounds of a bigger bomb to come. This was a huge endeavour and thanks to all who participated to make it happen. There are no small jobs in theatre, all are essential ones. Please read on about our fun at the North Island Festival.
