“1939 remains a genuine ensemble actor piece. Jani Lauzon directs again with a quietly subdued but firm resilience to build on the journey of reconciliation. The company becomes team players (both on and offstage) who feed the spirit of the play.”

It is vital to revisit stories that have a lasting influence on Canadians. Co-playwrights Jani Lauzon and Kaitlyn Riordan’s ‘1939’ is one such tale. Its impact on the atrocities experienced by many who experienced, survived, and did not survive the Residential school crisis continues to be felt moving forward.

Initially produced for its world premiere at the Stratford Festival in 2022, this Toronto premiere is a joint production by Canadian Stage and Belfry Theatre in association with the Festival. Seeing ‘1939’ back then raised questions that came to the forefront when I saw the Canadian Stage opening night.

It’s good when the power of theatre provokes questions and stimulates the audience's intellect, especially when revisiting a time that continues to affect Canadians. One may not always have answers or may view things differently, but this is all part of the power and range of live theatre.

Jani Lauzon directs the Toronto production again with a quietly subdued but firm resilience that feeds the play's spirit.

None of the school atrocities is played out on stage. Lauzon and Riordan’s script effectively reminds those issues are there, especially in some of the ‘comments’ made by Welsh school-teacher Sian Ap Dafydd (Catherine Fitch) and Father Callum Williams (Nathan Howe). You’ll notice the apostrophes around the word ‘comments.’ Future audiences must hear them uttered to understand the implications of the words.

We are at an Anglican church-run fictional Residential school in Northern Ontario in 1939. Madge Macbeth (Amanda Lisman) arrives to let the administration know it has been selected for an upcoming visit by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother in later years). Father Callum Williams will be the school liaison for the upcoming royal visit. Although he is only enthusiastic about hockey, it has been agreed that the royal couple will be entertained with a student performance of Shakespeare’s ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ to be directed by Dafydd.

I shuddered again as Dafydd does everything she can to impose an outdated and unfamiliar style of learning to become ‘good little Canadians’ on her Indigenous students. She even uses a recording of English actress Ellen Terry to demonstrate how to ‘speak properly’ with big round vowel sounds. As students Susan Blackbird (Brefny Caribou), Evelyne Rice (Merewyn Comeau), Joseph Summers (Richard Comeau), Beth Summers (Grace Lamarche) and Jean Delorme (John Wamsley) rehearse and prepare initially quite comical, they begin to note just how similar the situations of the characters in Shakespeare’s play parallel their own lives. When they see this connection, they want to make the play their own instead of trying to be something they are not.

Some top-notch production elements remain intact in this Toronto staging and produce some striking visual moments.

Designer Joanna Yu incorporates her Festival set on the Berkeley Theatre stage, and it was lovely to see it continue here. Three slate chalkboards are angled for maximum sightline viewing. The students will write words, thoughts, or one-line sentences while the adults enter later and erase what has been written. Makes quite an impactful visual statement. Near the end of the play, I held my breath again as Nathan Howe’s Father Williams tries to erase the petroglyphs but couldn’t. Visually sound and imposing, it certainly leaves an indelible mark. I can still picture Howe the next day as I write this article.

Designer Louise Guinand returns from the Stratford production with her smartly focused and subdued lighting. Wayne Kelso continues his terrific Stratford sound design, as does Asa Benally’s appropriate costume selection of the era.

The script's humour helps to soften some of the difficult reminders of the tragic era of Canadian history related to Residential schools. Father Williams' nervousness about speaking in front of his superiors (the bishop and the royal family) leads to comedic relief due to his intestinal issues and escaping flatulence, which brings much-needed laughter. Additionally, the students' reactions to the rehearsal process continue to bring smiles, and it was heartening to hear laughter all around me.

During the talkback circle following the opening night performance, Lauzon spoke about how she looks for actors who are team players who will feed the spirit of the play.

‘1939’ remains a genuine ensemble actor piece. This eight-member cast wholly represents a committed team of artists who feed the spirit of this play by telling the story with humanity, grace and dignity.

As the Christian adult role models, Nathan Howe and Catherine Fitch beautifully capture the insecurities of Father Williams and Sian Ap Dafydd in preparing the Bard’s play for the royal couple's arrival. John Wamsley returns from the Stratford production to play half-breed Jean Delorme. Wamsley’s reading of a letter aloud from his mother tugs at the heartstrings. Brefny Caribou’s Susan Blackbird frighteningly continues to be that one grim reminder of the violence inflicted on some of the students. The horrible gash on Caribou’s back looks painfully raw, yet her Caribou’s Susan is strong-willed.

Merewyn Comeau’s Evelyne Rice also continues that resiliency in the face of punishment that she will not allow the “Indian to be killed in her.” Grace Lamarche and Richard Comeau (returning from the Stratford production in this role) excellently capture the hesitancy and fear that brother and sister would have personally felt since they are not allowed to be placed together.

Final Thoughts: In her Director’s Programme Note, Jani Lauzon writes how her appreciation of Canadian Stage and Belfry Theatre reminds her of why doing work like ‘1939’ is essential. Both companies recognize the importance of this story as it becomes a glimpse inside a system intent on breaking the spirits of Indigenous children.

During a struggling and trying rehearsal of ‘All’s Well That Ends Well,’ Sian Ap Dafydd tries to compose herself and says: “I am not dramatic. I am sensitive.” These lines might be seen as poking fun against theatre actors who are often seen as sensitive in the real world.

There’s more in the understanding of these two lines. I’ll flip them around.

“I am sensitive because I am not dramatic.”

Lauzon calls the play an offering instead to continue our sensitivity to listen and to hear what occurred as part of reconciliation.

Following each performance, a circle will be formed where audience members can stay to hear, listen, and speak about what they have just seen on stage.

I’d advise you to stay and listen to what’s said. I learned more again.

I have so much more to learn.

Running time: approximately one hour and 40 minutes with one interval/intermission.

‘1939’ runs until October 12 at Canadian Stage’s Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley Street, Toronto. For tickets: (416) 368-3110 or visit canadianstage.com.

CANADIAN STAGE and BELFRY THEATRE’s joint production in association with THE STRATFORD FESTIVAL present:
1939 by Jani Lauzon and Kaitlyn Riordan

Directed by Jani Lauzon
Set Designer: Joanna Yu
Costume Designer: Asa Benally
Lighting Designer: Louise Guinand
Sound Design and Composition: Wayne Kelso

Performers: Brefny Caribou, Merewyn Comeau, Richard Comeau, Catherine Fitch, Nathan Howe, Grace Lamarche, Amanda Lisman, John Wamsley.