WOMEN OF THE FUR TRADE by Frances Koncan (Vault Projects). Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace. July 8 at 5:15 pm, July 9 at 10:45 pm, July 11 at 1:45 pm, July 13 at 9:15 pm, July 14 at 5:15 pm. See listing. Rating: NN
What if the Louis Riels actions were related to us by three 19th-century women who reacted like 21st-century teenagers? That’s the shaky premise of Frances Koncans latest play that sheds light neither on Riel nor on women of either century.
In Fort Garry, Manitoba, three very best friends await the return of Riel. The British Cecilia (Elizabeth Whitbread) longs for the return of her husband Thomas Scott. The Metis Marie-Angelique (Haley Vincent) only wants to marry Riel. The Ojibwe fur-trader Eugenia (Joelle Peters) hates men in general and John A. Macdonald in particular.
Each relates her reactions to Riels rebellion in different ways, mixing modern slang and Victorian expressions to mildly amusing effect.
While its easy to make the cynical Eugenia and the princess-like Marie-Angelique seem modern, its impossible to do so with the staunchly Victorian Cecilia. Koncan has tried to give us a young female perspective on Riel, but it amounts to assessing his hotness, not what he does. Yet when Riels trial and execution are the subject, Koncan drops her playful approach and has the women simply narrate what happened and praise Riel as a hero.
Were left with an extremely superficial view both of the women and of Louis Riel.
