Voices from the past speak through Polly to narrate the journey of ancestors

Alice Abracen

I am the first to express regret at my own alienation from my roots.

It is often a by-product of being a fourth- or fifth-generation immigrant. One is staunchly rooted in the tradition of the city to which one’s ancestors immigrated and the experience may be nearly forgotten.

I have often wished to trace the history of my family and regain for myself the great crossing that we made. And so it is with great pleasure that I introduce a book that is not only a lively and enjoyable read, but also, even if our own family recollections have long since vanished, allows us to retake our ancestors’ journey through the eyes of a young girl who endured a similar voyage.

The universal experience of migration is celebrated across cultures, and Polly of Bridgewater Farm: An Unknown Irish Story allows complete strangers to connect with the voices of their own past.

One woman, through meticulous research, lengthy investigation and skilful narration, has reconstructed a family history, focusing her narrative on the life of one girl, her great-aunt and honoured ancestor Mary Ann (Polly) Noble.

Montreal resident Catharine Fleming McKenty is a former research editor for Pace magazine, speechwriter for the Ontario minister of education, and employee at Reader’s Digest. She is co-author, with broadcaster husband Neil McKenty, of a best-seller, Skiing Legends and The Laurentian Lodge Club.

Several years ago, she set out to trace the life of her great-aunt, from her childhood in Ireland to her emigration and settlement in Canada.

“In moments of crisis,” McKenty writes in the author’s note, “I felt I could reach back into Aunt Polly’s strength, even though I had never met her.”

In 2002, she’d journeyed to the family farm in Northern Ireland.

“As I was leaving the farm, walking alone down the lane, I heard voices talking,” she writes. “It was suddenly clear to me that these were voices from the past, as though an invisible curtain had been pulled aside for a brief moment. I had to find out what these voices were saying. This book is the result” of that search.

The novel opens with two young people witnessing the burning of Montreal’s Parliament by disgruntled Tories (a part of our city’s history that many seem to have forgotten), destroying its chances of becoming a capital city. These are Polly Noble and her future husband, John Verner, and the year is 1849.

The narrative suddenly shifts to Ireland, nearly 15 years before, and we are introduced to Polly’s family and village.

We are then treated to a vividly imagined Irish childhood of the early 19^th century, replete with youthful misadventure, natural disasters, family power struggles, religious tension, and farming.

McKenty has found the fine balance between historical detail and intimate family anecdotes: Polly’s tender relationship with her fragile storytelling sister and her youthful rebellion against a domineering matriarch are as compelling as the accounts of the famine and the “Great Wind” that swept across Ireland, destroying everything in its wake.

As Polly and her family set off on the journey across the Atlantic to escape the dreaded famine, the reader knows the horrors that await them on Grosse-Île, and yet is comforted by the promise granted at the beginning of the novel that Polly would settle in Canada and leave a legacy that would make her the subject of a biography two centuries later.

The book is a swift and pleasant read, the prose at once lyrical and accessible, the pages rife with illustrations, photographs and maps.

It is a journey immensely worth undertaking.

Polly of Bridgewater Farm is available at Paragraphe, Nicholas Hoare, and Westmount Stationery>.

Geordie presents: Could your grandchild be a Tiny Tim?

Alice Abracen

Wandering through legions of increasingly desperate shoppers as the holiday season nears is a tradition in most North American cities. Montreal is no exception: you need only to venture out of your door on December 23 to be confronted by the reality that Christmas is an extremely profitable time for shopkeepers. Luckily, there is another proud tradition in Montreal that serves to remind all generations of the true message of compassion and generosity of the holiday celebrations: theatre.

This December Geordie Productions presents Charles Dickens’s classic Victorian tale A Christmas Carol, adapted for the stage by Alexandria Haber, in co-production with Concordia University’s Theatre Department. The story of Scrooge, the cruel miser who is transformed into a caring and compassionate man by his journey through time with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, is one of the most enduring holiday tales of the genuine meaning of Christmas.

“It’s essentially a play about love and the true spirit of Christmas,” says publicist Siu-Min Jim. “We need to be reminded of that as Christmas becomes more and more commercial, and there’s more of a collective tendency towards the selfish desires represented by Scrooge in the play.” According to Jim, this Christmas story appeals to all ages because of the themes of kindness and redemption.

“The story is still the highlight in this adaptation,” Jim says, “we tell it funny but touching. We also have a great team of designers, including Ana Cappelluto, for set and lighting, and James Lavoie for costumes.”

“This production brings out the best of what theatre is,” Jim says. “It gives you just enough so that imagination can take over. Imagination is not limited to children. We need to remember that today and open ourselves to the magic.”

Geordie Productions is also offering a rare opportunity: they are searching for a Tiny Tim, the young, frail, but generous and loving son of Scrooge’s employee Bob Cratchit. The search began November 1, and Geordie invites aspiring young actors of both genders to seize the opportunity to perform in front of up to 400 people! No acting experience is necessary. Tell your children or grandchildren to send in:

· A recent head-to-toe photo

· A letter telling Geordie about the best gift they’ve ever received or given and why?

· A short paragraph about themselves (including their favourite subject at school, extra-curricular activities, hobbies, favourite books or writers.)

· A completed entry form signed by a parent/guardian/grandparent.

One of up to 26 participants will be selected to perform onstage in a single performance of A Christmas Carol. All entries must be received by November 20 at auditions@geordie.ca or Geordie Productions, 4001 Berri, Suite #103, Montréal, QC, H2L 4H2. A Christmas Carol runs December 4 - 13: Fridays at 7pm; Saturdays at 4pm; Sundays at 1pm & 4pm. Single Tickets: $20/ $15 children/ $18 seniors.

All tickets cost $13 if purchased as part of a Season Pass. Info: 514-845-9810 between 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Adaptation of 12 Angry Men touches modern themes

Alice Abracen

Many people would prefer to avoid jury duty, but even the most politically negligent cannot avoid this civic responsibility that is central to our legal system. With a jury composed of peers, ordinary citizens are the arbiters of justice, and the effectiveness of democracy rests in their taking the trouble to engage in their duty to listen, discuss and decide on guilt or innocence.

While political analysts despair over public apathy, there remains a hope of life mimicking art as in a new production by the Lakeshore Players.

In 12 angry jurors, written by Reginald Rose in 1954 and adapted for the stage by Sherman Sergel, a group of strangers cast off their lassitude to assume their juridical responsibility.

The jurors are summoned to pass judgment on a young Puerto Rican man accused of his father’s murder. When nearly all of them quickly resolve to condemn the boy to death, a lone dissenter votes “not guilty”, obliging the others to discuss the matter further to reach a conclusive verdict. His forcing them not to act for the sake of expediency or bias results in their gradual awakening to the responsibility conferred on them and an examination of the prejudices that would have allowed them to commit a grave injustice.

The play, which has been produced both as a teleplay and as a film, is directed by retired John Abbott theatre professor Murray Napier. This is his second production with Lakeshore, the first being David French’s Silver Dagger from the 2007-2008 season.

Napier says he is impressed with the organization of the Lakeshore Players and the dedication of their volunteers and actors. “I proposed this play because I was struck by their talent,” Napier says, adding that the play “is a showcase for talent. It’s a terrific cast.”

This is Napier’s third time directing 12 angry jurors. The previous productions were at John Abbott. “These actors are the right age,” Napier adds jokingly. “I don’t have to encourage them to be more mature in their portrayals.”

Rose’s teleplay was originally called 12 angry men and later changed to 12 angry jurors.

“I’ve always done it with mixed casts,” Napier says. “It’s interesting to see how the female actors have made the play their own.”

“In theatre departments, you often have to turn men into women,” he adds. While the title of the play might have become more gender-neutral over the decades, the emotion that typifies the characters remains unchanged.

“Anger is the central energy in the play,” Napier says. “There’s the anger of someone who will fight for justice, whose battle is aimed at getting to the truth, and there’s the personal anger of the jurors getting in the way of justice. In the beginning, the anger is directed at this one relentless juror. Then, as they start to ferret out the truth, the anger changes direction.”

Despite the near unjust conviction at the beginning of the play as a result of the jurors’ prejudices, Napier asserts that his play is very supportive of the justice system: It only requires that the role of the individual to ensure justice be taken seriously. “The system is susceptible to mistakes,” Napier admits, “but that comes with a democracy. Democracy is vulnerable, but also a defense against tyranny. You look at recent injustices – Abu Ghraib, Guantánamo – and you realize how that system needs to be preserved. Especially in a time of war, you don’t throw away the values you’re committed to. True values persist,” Napier insists. “The jurors’ hearts are in the right place. It’s exciting to see whether or not they’ll do the right thing.”

According to Napier, the jurors undergo a catharsis, a self-realization only encountered through the renewed pursuit of justice. “You’re moved by the way they deal with the conflict,” Napier says. “What you enjoy is to see that good will survive the onslaught of obstacles, to watch justice and understanding triumph.”

“This play gives a hopeful message,” Napier says. “It gives the audience a sense of the good side of what America wants to be.”

12 angry jurors runs at John Rennie Theatre, 501 St. Jean, Pointe Claire, from November 5-7 and 11-14. To reserve, call 514-631-8718.

“Oh, had I but followed the arts!”

Alice Abracen

The lament of Sir Andrew Ague­cheek from William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night finds no resonance among the halls of Royal West Academy. There are a variety of ways to get involved in theatre, including the Bardolators, the student Shakespeare group that mounts two of the Bard’s plays every year, a tragedy and a comedy.

This year’s fall production, Shake Up Shake Down, is an assortment of scenes from Shakespeare’s comedies and tragedies. While the students normally perform two full-length plays a year, they recognize that the highlighting of choice scenes from different shows gives the cast a chance at larger roles and the opportunity to discover works of Shakespeare that they had not yet encountered.

Doug Floen, the longtime artistic director of many shows at Royal West Academy, is a staunch supporter of the students being exposed to Shakespeare outside the classroom setting.

The Bardolators on their trip to England a year and a half ago, at the London Eye

Sidney Westlake a teacher and Royal West and is the producer and treasurer of the bradolater plays. She agrees with Floen on the point of active student involvement with Shakespeare.

“Teenagers should be exposed to the genius of Shakespeare as he truly understood human nature.” The recognition of Shakespeare’s perpetually relevant insight Mrs. Westlake hoped for seems to have materialized itself in the students.

“Shakespeare’s themes were pertinent then and they’re pertinent now,” said Emma Pask, a fourth-year Bardolator. “You can always relate to what’s happening in his plays.”

Rebecca Kaiser-Reiss, in her last year at Royal West, explains the empathy evoked in students by the Shakespearean characters. “I didn’t notice until recently but lots of Shakespeare’s plays deal with teenagers, and the inner workings of their minds.”

She offers the example of Hamlet, a young man who’s “stressed and depressed.” Not to be overly dramatic, she says, but she can appreciate how he feels. While the students admit to being sometimes overwhelmed by the large workload and number of rehearsals required to put on a show, they are quick to share their favourite thing about being part of the theatre group.

“Being onstage – It’s the greatest feeling ever,” said William Lapin, a grade eight student. Kaiser-Reiss interjected, “Doing Dinner Theatre. Everyone’s been eating and drinking and there’s really good vibes. It’s so much easier to get onstage and just go crazy because the people looking up at you just want it.”

Pask credited acting as being responsible for her boost in confidence when it comes to speaking and writing as well having helped her better express her thoughts to her teachers.

She said there is a great sense of accomplishment when a play closes.

Sidney Westlake, shares Emma’s pride in being involved in such a large production. Floen said one reason for his long commitment to the promotion of theatre at Royal West is, “the joy of watching kids grow and explore characters and parts they wouldn’t normally be able to do in the classroom.” Floen has been amazed by the talent demonstrated by students.

“Some of the most pure and honest acting comes from novices who bring a fresh spirit to it,” he said. Shake Up Shake Down runs November 23-26 at 7pm, Dinner Theatre November 27 at 6pm. Admission: $10, Seniors $7, Students $5. Advance Tickets for Dinner Theatre $25. Tickets can be bought at the door or by calling 514-489-8454 for reservations.