halifax fringe 2022: The murder of mary lane
Aquarius Players presents a 70 minute production of The Murder of Mary Lane by Chris Coculuzzi. Performed at Neptune Theatre’s Scotiabank Stage (1589 Argyle Street, Halifax) The Murder of Mary Lane runs Sept 2nd – 11th. Tickets are $15 and are available online at tickethalifax.com.
Just after four o'clock in the afternoon of July 5th, 1899 in Brandon, Manitoba, thirty-two year old Mary Lane, wife to prominent businessman Robert Lane and pregnant mother of four young children, was shot in the back. As her servant girl Hilda Blake bathed her face with water she died without saying who had done it. On December 27th of that same year, Hilda would be hanged for the crime, one of only a handful of women to receive capital punishment in Canada. The Murder of Mary Lane is inspired by the book Walk Towards The Gallows: The Tragedy of Emily Hilda Blake - Hanged 1899 by Tom Mitchell and Reinhold Kramer of Brandon University. The play is a blend of historical accounts/texts and speculative fiction, incorporating the wider world of sex and class roles of the period, Canadian notions of White civility, 19th century notions of Fate and Duty, xenophobia, political expediency, the plight of Home Children in Canada, attitudes toward working poor children, Women’s Emancipation, and Canadian Western expansion.
The Murder of Mary Lane is directed by Chris Coculuzzi, Set and Lighting Design by David Howse, and Stage Managed by Katie Ferguson. This production features Katie Graham as Hilda Blake, Justin Mozel as Robert Lane, Bryn Rowlands as Chief Kinney, John O’Brien as Alex McKay, Natalie Fournier as Mary Lane, Margaret Hild as Jessie McKay, Ellen Oldford as Mrs. Stripp, and Michael Stack as Rev. Laurie.
Just after four o'clock in the afternoon of July 5th, 1899 in Brandon, Manitoba, thirty-two year old Mary Lane, wife to prominent businessman Robert Lane and pregnant mother of four young children, was shot in the back. As her servant girl Hilda Blake bathed her face with water she died without saying who had done it. On December 27th of that same year, Hilda would be hanged for the crime, one of only a handful of women to receive capital punishment in Canada. The Murder of Mary Lane is inspired by the book Walk Towards The Gallows: The Tragedy of Emily Hilda Blake - Hanged 1899 by Tom Mitchell and Reinhold Kramer of Brandon University. The play is a blend of historical accounts/texts and speculative fiction, incorporating the wider world of sex and class roles of the period, Canadian notions of White civility, 19th century notions of Fate and Duty, xenophobia, political expediency, the plight of Home Children in Canada, attitudes toward working poor children, Women’s Emancipation, and Canadian Western expansion.
The Murder of Mary Lane is directed by Chris Coculuzzi, Set and Lighting Design by David Howse, and Stage Managed by Katie Ferguson. This production features Katie Graham as Hilda Blake, Justin Mozel as Robert Lane, Bryn Rowlands as Chief Kinney, John O’Brien as Alex McKay, Natalie Fournier as Mary Lane, Margaret Hild as Jessie McKay, Ellen Oldford as Mrs. Stripp, and Michael Stack as Rev. Laurie.
| MML Poster |
toronto fringe 2019: The Taming of the shrew
Aquarius Players presents a site-specific 90 minute production of The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. Performed at St. George the Martyr (30 Stephanie St., Toronto) The Taming of the Shrew runs July 3rd – 14th, evening performances at 7pm and weekend performances at 2pm with Monday dark. Tickets are $11 and are available online or by phone (416-966-1062) or at the Festival Box Office (275 Bathurst St., Noon-10pm) or cash only at the door one hour before performance time.
The Taming of the Shrew is set in Padua, Italy. The play begins with Lucentio of Pisa and his servant Tranio arriving to go to university when they observe a strange sight: Signor Baptista is being hounded by his two neighbours because he has two daughters eligible for marriage. Hortensio and Gremio are both vying for the younger Bianca and want nothing to do with the elder Katherine, whom they consider ill-tempered. But until the elder is married, Bianca is off-limits, so they agree to try and find a suitor for the angry shrew. When they leave, Lucentio declares his love for Bianca and forgets all about his studies. Instead he switches clothes with his servant and instructs Tranio to present himself as another suitor under his master’s name while he tries to win Bianca’s love disguised as a tutor. Then Petruchio of Verona arrives to visit his friend Hortensio and tells him that his father has passed away and he is looking for a wife. When Hortensio informs him about the rich but scolding Katherine, Petruchio wastes no time in presenting himself to Baptista convinced that he’s the man to tame her. Shakespeare’s comedy seems inspired by stock characters of commedia dell’arte as applied to a classic folk tale.
The Taming of the Shrew is directed by Nicole Arends, with text adapted by Chris Coculuzzi, Costume Design by Elaine O’Neal, and Stage Managed by Kate Dowdall. This production features Chris Coculuzzi as Petruchio and Alexandra Milne as Kate. It also features Daryn DeWalt as Gremio/Vincentio, Scott Moore as Baptista, Chris Irving as Hortensio/Pedant, Elaine O’Neal as Grumio/Widow, Paige Madsen as Tranio, Michael Pearson as Lucentio, Greta Whipple as Bianca, and features the sax-playing talent of Christina Leonard as Biondello.
The Taming of the Shrew is set in Padua, Italy. The play begins with Lucentio of Pisa and his servant Tranio arriving to go to university when they observe a strange sight: Signor Baptista is being hounded by his two neighbours because he has two daughters eligible for marriage. Hortensio and Gremio are both vying for the younger Bianca and want nothing to do with the elder Katherine, whom they consider ill-tempered. But until the elder is married, Bianca is off-limits, so they agree to try and find a suitor for the angry shrew. When they leave, Lucentio declares his love for Bianca and forgets all about his studies. Instead he switches clothes with his servant and instructs Tranio to present himself as another suitor under his master’s name while he tries to win Bianca’s love disguised as a tutor. Then Petruchio of Verona arrives to visit his friend Hortensio and tells him that his father has passed away and he is looking for a wife. When Hortensio informs him about the rich but scolding Katherine, Petruchio wastes no time in presenting himself to Baptista convinced that he’s the man to tame her. Shakespeare’s comedy seems inspired by stock characters of commedia dell’arte as applied to a classic folk tale.
The Taming of the Shrew is directed by Nicole Arends, with text adapted by Chris Coculuzzi, Costume Design by Elaine O’Neal, and Stage Managed by Kate Dowdall. This production features Chris Coculuzzi as Petruchio and Alexandra Milne as Kate. It also features Daryn DeWalt as Gremio/Vincentio, Scott Moore as Baptista, Chris Irving as Hortensio/Pedant, Elaine O’Neal as Grumio/Widow, Paige Madsen as Tranio, Michael Pearson as Lucentio, Greta Whipple as Bianca, and features the sax-playing talent of Christina Leonard as Biondello.
| Digital Program (PDF) |
| Shrew Poster |