THUNDER BAY — Women of the Fur Trade by Coochiching First Nation playwright Frances Koncan will make its premier at Magnus Theatre on Friday.
“This play is a fantastic conversation between three amazing women about a very interesting period in time. Now, that makes it sound a bit like it's a history lesson, but I assure you that it is not,” said Amy Sellors, co-director of the play.
“While we are talking about Louis Riel, we are talking about it in a contemporary modern context with three very modern contemporary sassy, strong women, and a couple of guys,” she added.
Sellors said it’s a cast of five actors, brought together from across the country.
“They do an amazing job not only telling the story and delivering their lines and being funny on stage, but also the camaraderie between them working together. There's something in the story that's pretty magical about collaboration, that if we work together, we can do good things.
“That mindset has been echoed in how we've put together this play as well from us, down to how the actors work together and then what the story is about,” she said.
The reference point of the show is the Red River Rebellion, Sellors said.
“There's a timelessness to this story, and that's also why it's set in a more contemporary way, because what happened before happens now, may happen again, and there's this continuum. I think it's important to look at what happened before so we can make different choices and make changes in the future,” she said.
Richard Comeau, is a co-director of the play, but is also acting at Louis Riel.
He said it was challenging to hold both titles.
“This is my first time directing, so I'm super excited and happy to be sharing those responsibilities with Amy here. We work really well together and we have the same sense of humour, which is very important for this. We are always on the same page about anything comedy.
“I find that trying to balance the actor side and the director’s side, as I said, was very challenging to find the time and it did become overwhelming at times, but because I had someone to back me up here, it still remained very positive and accomplishable,” he said.
Comeau said it’s just really funny.
“I would be shocked if you didn't find it amusing in any sort of way. It's very lively, it's very silly. Yes, it does cover some very important topics, but we have fun and we intend to make sure that the audience have fun too,” Comeau said.
Grace Lamarche is an actor playing Eugenia in this play.
“This show is all about women and female empowerment. To be able to have such an awesome relationship with the women in the show as well, it just adds that extra layer of sweetness on to what this job entails, which is amazing,” she said.
Lamarche said she feels lucky to feel comfortable and free around everyone involved in the play.
“Theatre is one of the main ways that I'm able to feel so lucky in connecting with my own Indigeneity, and I think storytelling for me is like that anchor in my cultural identity. What's amazing about this show is it's so playful, it's so funny, but it has so much truth in it at the same time.
“Being able to play within that space has been a really awesome way to play with Indigenous history in a really unique way,” she said.
Lamarche’s advice for anyone watching the show is to not be afraid to laugh.
“I’m just really excited to see how that story brings generations together and shows Canadian history in a really unique way that is accessible to so many people,” Lamarche said.
The play will run Tuesdays to Saturdays until April 26.
Tickets for Woman of the Fur Trade can be purchased by calling Magnus Theatre or visiting the website.
