Four new plays debut at the ­Belfry this March

›› Mark Dusseault

Joe saved whales off the coast of Newfoundland. Laura moved to Trump’s ­America. And back in Canada, two groups of ­artists trundled across the country to talk to ­people, aged 1 to 100—you’ll be surprised and delighted by what they learned.

Spark is as eclectic as ever and this year we are offering half-price tickets to anyone under 30 on the four big shows – Busted Up – A Yukon Story, Destiny, USA, KISMET, things have changed and Between Breaths.

It all kicks off with a free all-ages ­hootenanny / dance party on March 9th.

Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland is bringing their extraordinary play, Between Breaths, to Spark. Based on the real life story of Joe Lien, a researcher who saved more than 500 whales from fishing nets, “Between Breaths will bring you to tears and leave you in awe,” says NS Reviews, Halifax.

Laura Anne Harris didn’t want to move to Syracuse but she fell in love. Destiny, USA weaves together three stories: ­moving to the US, working as a relay operator for the deaf, and dealing with her mother’s illness in Canada while she has to live in America.

Whitehorse’s Open Pit is bringing Busted Up: A Yukon Story to Victoria. Six actors portray over 30 real-life Yukon characters who share their stories of ­colonialism, ­natural resource extraction, racial ­discrimination, and a deep love of the wild.

Ten years ago, four artists in their late 20’s and early 30’s travelled across the country to interview 100 people, aged 1 to 100. Now, a decade later, the same team set out to find the surviving people and ­interview them again. What they ­discovered on the road is revealed in ­KISMET, things have changed: a complicated yet intimate ­portrait of change.

The festival closes with a one-off ­performance by high school students enrolled in Belfry 101. They come from public and private schools across the region and always create a gem of theatre.

Spark also features dozens of free events—plays, readings, miniplays, and cabarets—take one in to get a taste of Spark.

Ticket and show information is available on our website, belfry.bc.ca/2020-spark-festival/ or at sparkfestival.ca.

 

Photo caption: Emelia Symington Fedy and Daryl King in KISMET, things have changed. Photo: Matt Reznek