“Another divine world-premiere tops Stratford’s exceptional season of new works and remarkable adaptations.”

Stratford has had a memorable season of world premieres of original Canadian plays as well as fresh adaptations of literary classics. Some productions make bold statements, while others invite more reserved introspections on their respective themes, but they ALL speak to us about relationships and the human condition in some of the most thought-provoking and meaningful ways.

The last of these productions to open is the world premiere of “The Diviners” adapted for the stage by Vern Thiessen and Yvette Nolan from iconic author Margaret Laurence’s classic autobiographical 1974 Canadian novel. Through creative and minimalist staging, co-directors Krista Jackson and Geneviève Pelletier use the metaphor of the coursing river to track the past, present and future of protagonist Morag Gunn as she struggles to finish her latest novel.

Set in a cabin in 1972 small-town Ontario, Morag (Irene Poole) combats her writer’s block with large bottles of one hundred proof. After a fight with her adult daughter, Pique (Julie Lumsden), who flees in a fit of rage, neighbour Royland (Anthony Santiago) arrives and attempts to soothe her nerves with a fish he caught from the river. His act of giving is just the catalyst Morag needs to start writing as she’s set adrift in a flood of memories – of her traumatic childhood, her formative years being raised by foster father, Christie (Jonathan Goad), her years at university, her first boyfriend, her failed marriage to Professor Brooke Skelton (Dan Chameroy). Morag has an indomitable but ultimately unhappy spirit. She later conceives Pique with ex-boyfriend Jules and continues her life as a single mother.

Indigenous narratives are brought beautifully to the fore in this tale of one person’s journey to reconcile her past, present and future. There’s an almost spiritual overtone to Morag’s efforts to reclaim who and what she is. Her struggles are myriad – as a woman in a man’s world of the seventies, a mother without a husband, a woman facing head-on her Métis heritage.

It isn’t often you see a non-musical with a cast of 22 and a choreographer on the artistic team. Is this a play or a musical? Well, it’s definitely a play but the traditional Indigenous music and dance keep us framed in its message of national reconciliation. Even more striking about this production is the bare stage, which serves as the canvas for the colours of Morag’s life to be revealed. There’s virtually no set, save for a split four-tiered bleacher affair at one end of the thrust stage and a small square table that pops up and down from the floor at the other.

I’m still wondering about the significance of the junk yard suspended high above the stage like some kind of modern art installation. Detritus of all kinds weaves its way like a meandering river. Perhaps an homage to Morag’s adopted father Christie, a garbage man and the symbol of consistency in her complicated life?

As Jackson and Pelletier say in their program notes, “At the heart of the narrative lies the river, a metaphor symbolizing the moving course of life.” Jackson and Pelletier provide only sketches of where and what time we are; it’s our imaginations that fill in the gaps, the way they would when reading a favourite novel. Their ability to move us backward and forward in Morag’s timeline with mere blocking, a few lighting changes and the talents of their remarkable cast are simplhy extraordinary. These two are character-driven directors who do full justice to Laurence’s detailed descriptions of Morag’s feelings of love and remorse, although I did find the gratuitous on-stage sex scenes between Morag and Jules does little to enhance our understanding of their love.

The show moves quickly, and the cast more than rises to the occasion. The excellent ensemble acts like a Greek chorus—chanting, dancing, playing violin, guitar, and bagpipes as we travel back and forth through Morag’s life. Several play smaller roles, but all are fully engaged and invested in the narrative.

Leading this exceptional cast is the luminous Irene Poole as Morag Gunn. Hers is a tour-de-force performance, captivating and authentic as the complex protagonist. She’s onstage almost the entire show, virtually every scene. Her physicality is exceptional as she seamlessly switches between child, teen and adult as the colours of her life unfold. A performance not to be missed!

Julie Lumsden does triple duty as Morag’s daughter Pique, Young Pique and Scots Morag. Incredible versatility and honesty in each role. Her chemistry with Poole is heartwarming and thoroughly convincing.

As Christie, Morag’s hard-working foster father with a heart of gold, Jonathan Goad is solid and unrecognizably crusty. With a thick Scottish accent (at times difficult to understand when he lets his volume drop), he channels Robert Shaw’s Quint character from the movie Jaws.

As Jules, Morag’s former Métis boyfriend and father to Pique, Jesse Gervais strums guitar and sings Métis folk songs with conviction. He also has a fine comedic sense. Sadly, his chemistry with Poole doesn’t quite hit the heights the script calls for. Josue Laboucane and Caleigh Crow deliver fine performances as Jules’s father, Lazarus, and sister, Piquette, respectively.

Cameron Carver creates intensity with his inspired choreography. He enhances the narrative by focusing the movement to reflect the emotion and intention of each scene. His dance is integral, particularly the follow up and in-sync movements in the incredible sequence with the pages of Morag’s novel spewing from her typewriter. Visually stunning!

As mentioned, Bretta Gerecke's lighting and set design are stark overall. Warm amber lighting separates Morag’s present from her shadow-filled past and future. We always know where we are in time and space. The bleachers are nicely utilized as a front porch, school classroom, and university lecture hall, while the single pop-up desk always brings us home to Morag’s cottage in the present. So much is achieved with so little!!

Jeff Chief’s 70s costumes are spot on. My partner commented that she had a denim skirt just like the one Morag wears in Act 2. Traditional Indigenous regalia is also featured in flashbacks and dream sequences.

Andrina Turenne’s moving original music fuses contemporary, ethereal and Indigenous beats with spoken word to startling effect.

At its heart, “The Diviners” is about a mother reconnecting with her daughter and wondering how to write her own happy ending with the people she cares about. Weaved throughout is the history of the Métis and Indigenous peoples in Manitoba. But it’s Laurence’s original overarching themes of reconciliation between cultures that make this play so important, so relevant, for today’s audiences!

Running time: Approx. 2 hours, 25 minutes with one intermission/interval.
The production runs until October 2 at the Tom Patterson Theatre, Stratford
For tickets call the Box Office at 1-800-567-1600 or email www.stratfordfestival.ca

The Stratford Festival Presents “The Diviners” based on the novel by Margaret Laurence with text by Vern Thiessen with Yvette Nolan
Directed by Krista Jackson with Geneviève Pelletier
Choreographer – Cameron Carver
Set and Lighting Designer – Bretta Gerecke
Costume Designer – Jeff Chief
Composer – Andrina Turenne
Sound Designer – MJ Dandeneau

Performers: Irene Poole, Christopher Allen, Gabriel Antonacci, Dan Chameroy, Caleigh Crow, Allison Edwards-Crewe, Jesse Gervais, Jonathan Goad, Josue Laboucane, Julie Lumsden, Anthony Santiago, Tyrone Savage, Sara Topham and other Canadian artists in the ensemble.