Review: 'Moonlodge' as part of Toronto's Soulpepper series 'Around the World in 80 Plays'
I completed some research on ‘Moonlodge’ before listening to this audio drama. Obviously, since Soulpepper selected playwright/artist Margo Kane’s 1990 story to open their ‘Around the World in 80 Plays’ series, there must have been an important reason why it was chosen.
And am I ever glad I did that research. Jani Lauzon, director of Soulpepper’s production, clearly stated she hoped audiences who are just beginning their understanding of Indigenous theatre in the Canadian theatre canon “to keep engaging and to be active” in discovering Indigenous work.
This one-hour audio drama did just that for me. ‘Moonlodge’ makes me want to keep engaging and to learn more about Indigenous theatre in our Canadian canon. Personally, I didn’t find this 30-year-old story dated at all. If anything, this play is often an eerily grim indication of the devastation suffered by young Indigenous people; at other times, the humour and resilience of Kane’s characters are reminders they are ‘slice of life’ humans who deserve to have their presence known.
We meet the young protagonist Agnes (Samantha Brown) who tells us about her immediate family members and what life is like with them in their community of warmth and understanding. Agnes is removed from her family by Child Welfare Government Services and then begins to live in a series of foster homes. The media of that time describes the Aboriginal People that both intrigue Agnes while at the same time embarrass her tremendously at times.
As the young Agnes grows up in the 1960s, she plans to travel across America to San Francisco upon graduation from high school. It is in this journey across America that Agnes begins to discover her voice both as a young woman AND as a member of a vibrant Indigenous community.
Nothing against the abundance of ZOOM/YOU TUBE theatre in the one year plus of the Covid world in which we now find ourselves; however, I was pleased I had the opportunity just to close my eyes and to hear, to listen and to envision in my mind Margo Kane’s world from thirty years ago. Wayne Kelso’s sound design and composition pleasantly and effectively underscored Samantha Brown’s narrative story telling. Greg Sinclair and Matt Rideout’s work in audio design finely highlighted those moments without overpowering. I especially liked the choice of music used which beautifully set the ‘Summer of Love’ of the Haight-Ashbury scene.
Yes, Covid has brought the live theatre industry to a screeching halt, but Soulpepper’s audio drama is alive and well as ‘Moonlodge’ is in extremely capable hands under Jani Lauzon’s graceful and compassionate direction. Within this short one-hour span audio performance time, Samantha Brown as Agnes plausibly and authentically creates the voice of a young woman who encounters the sometimes horrific, bullying racist comments that even made me feel uncomfortable when I heard them. Future listeners beware as there is one moment that made me feel extremely uncomfortable as you will know what’s going on. Ms. Brown bravely handles this extremely sensitive moment under Ms. Lauzon’s direction.
FINAL COMMENTS: A wise choice to open this ‘Around the World in 80 Plays’ audio drama series with a play that doesn’t show any signs of being out-of-date. This ‘Moonlodge’ is boldly fascinating Indigenous theatre.
Moonlodge by Margo Kane
Performer: Samantha Brown; Director: Jani Lauzon; Sound Designer & Composer: Wayne Kelso
Audio Producer: Greg Sinclair; Lead Audio Engineer: Matt Rideout.
Tickets are Pay-What-You-Choose, and audiences enjoy unlimited access to the audio drama from the premiere date until June 30, 2021 at www.soulpepper.ca.
Poster design from Soulpepper Theatre.