Beginning on Remembrance Day, the Boardmore Playhouse will be hosting a play that tells the story one of Canada’s defining moments in World War I. Simply titled Vimy, the work of award winning playwright Vern Theissen is about a struggle for survival and finding meaning in the midst of the horrors of war.
According to director Scott Sharplin, on of the strengths of Vimy is how the story of war is told through the very personal experiences of those on the front lines, which is particularly relevant for its Remembrance Day opening. “I think that it works as a nice complement to the Remembrance Day events, because in my experience Remembrance Day tends to be a very ‘broad scope’ type of event.”, Sharplin explained. “We talk about war in general, or we talk about a specific war like World War I, but it’s relatively rare that we focus in on specific individual stories and that’s what Vimy does really well.”
The play centers itself on the soldiers, workers, and nurses, taking the audience through their decision to become involved in the war effort, what experiences they have in the heart of battle, and in coping with the personal injuries, death, and horrific experiences while trying to preserve one’s courage and humanity. These are the experiences that helped eventually shape Canada’s 20th Century military mandate of peacekeeping, but in many ways, the “War to End All Wars” was only the beginning.
Vimy will run on November 11, 12, 13, 19, and 20, with stage time at 7:00pm each night. A matinee will be held November 21 at 2:00pm. Admission for November 11 is pay what you can, or by bringing a food bank donation. November 12 will be “Talk Back Night”, where the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions of the cast and director after the play.
Tickets for Vimy are $10 general admission, $6 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets and for more information, phone the Boardmore Playhouse Box Office at 563-1652.
