Laurier – The History of the Village of the Small Huts: Part 8
Written and Directed by Michael Hollingsworth
Starring Paul Braunstein, Greg Campbell, Richard Alan Campbell, Kerry Ann Doherty, Linda Prystawska, Anand Rajaram and Dylan Roberts
Produced by VideoCabaret (Cameron House, 408 Queen Street West). Indefinite run.
By Kate Edwards
Sir Wilfrid Laurier is best remembered as the great Canadian statesman of the early twentieth century. Most probably know him better as the dignified looking fellow frozen in time on the five dollar bill. He famously declared that the twentieth century belonged to Canada, and did not look to language, religion or ethnicity to define this country, but instead envisioned a nation based on law and human rights – values we continue to champion today. However you look at it, Laurier was a great Canadian, the Trudeau of his age. But like so many political figures, Laurier’s public persona – and how he is immortalized in the history books – is not all that it appears to be. The former prime minister’s other side is explored in Laurier, which had its world premiere on Friday at Queen Street West’s famous Cameron House.
The latest installment in writer and director Michael Hollingsworth’s satirical series, The History of the Village of the Small Huts, Laurier tells the story of our seventh prime minister’s political and personal ups and downs from 1885 to 1911. Touching on the great political challenges of the time, including the Manitoba Schools Question, the Boer War, and free trade, and hinged on questions of nationalism and imperialism, Hollingsworth takes his audience on a whirlwind tour of Canada’s early days of nationhood. With stunning costumes, caricature-like wigs and makeup, and a “black-box” stage design that allows the actors to seemingly disappear, his latest effort does not disappoint.
We often forget that Canada’s political history is rich with interesting characters. Though they often stumbled into political life, their actions make for good stories, and Hollingsworth and his cast use this to their best advantage. The energy of the seven actors is incredible as the thirty characters they play leap out from the pages of history. All the big names are here: Sir John A. Macdonald (with bottle in hand, of course), Louis Riel, Henri Bourassa, Queen Victoria, and of course, the spiritualist Mackenzie King, accompanied by his ghostly mother cum political advisor. But it is the stories of the lesser-known figures that make this play sharp, revealing Laurier’s faults and failings.
Laurier’s personal life, usually a footnote if mentioned at all, is highlighted in Hollingsworth’s production. Zoë, Laurier’s quiet wife who was content to be the spouse of a small-town lawyer, is countered by Emilie LaVerge, Laurier’s sumptuous mistress (and best friend’s wife), who thrives in the glow of Ottawa’s salons. The interaction between Wilfrid and Emilie sizzles with scandalous passion, while Zoë is brushed aside and slowly descends into madness. The relationships between Laurier and these two very different women reflect a personal life that was at times as tumultuous as his political one, and makes this play appealing. Despite a focus on the personal, political history buffs will not be disappointed, as Laurier is shown to play the political game smoothly and with ease.
For people who grudgingly took their required Canadian history credit in high school, Laurier presents a fresh take on old stories. The issues Hollingsworth tackles and the relationships he presents have a contemporary feel, reminding us that we live in a relatively new nation whose place in the world continues to evolve. From debates over religious schools and free trade, to Quebec sovereignty and Canadian foreign policy, Laurier captures the highlights of a great prime minister’s career, and shows that the questions we face as a nation today are not that different from those of a century ago.
For more information, visit www.videocab.com.
