Dancing in Poppies

Performing Arts & Entertainment in Canada, Spring, 1993 by Jocelyn Caton

Dancing in Poppies by Saskatchewan writers Gail Brown and Ron Marken premiered at the Globe Theatre, Regina in February. It is a successful adaptation of their book 1919: The Love Letters of George and Adelaide, despite the challenges of creating a play from a novel which is a series of letters.

Gail Bowen is author of the Jill Claybourne mystery books (Deadly Appearances, Murder at the Mendel, The Wandering Soul Murders). Ron Marken is a poet (Don't Steal This Book, Dark Honey) and playwright (Flights of Angels).

George McTaggert (Tom Rooney) and Roger Currie (Mike Stack), casualties of World War I, are befriended by Adelaide Farlinger (Burgundy Code), a volunteer at a convalescent home in Toronto. The friendship continues by letter after the men return to George's farm in Saskatchewan. Although they intend to start new lives as the war ends, Roger is overwhelmed by the darkness of his war experiences and his blindness. George and Addie are drawn closer as they attempt to deal with Roger's suicide. They continue to share the news of their changing lives and their discoveries of the problems of post war Canada. Eventually, they are able to accept Roger's death and, despite the uncertain future, move on with hope.

A strong cast and the depth of characterization developed in the novel produced three endearing and memorable personalities. The addition of the spirit of Roger Currie as narrator is a workable device. His cynical wit is retained, he helps bind the rest of the play together and the actor can assume a number of smaller but necessary roles. At times the spirit character is a bit nebulous, even for a ghost and the narration tends to over-simplify and overexplain the theme. The audience can understand the message conveyed as it should be, through the action.

The problems of differentiating the many changes in time and place are managed with the minimal but effective use of a rotating stage and a winding wooden board-walk to give definition to acting areas. With good direction (Susan Ferley) and a skilled cast, the many changes were clear while the production remained well-paced. The descriptive passages like those at the veteran's home in Toronto were well-chosen, evocative without being tedious.

The play was moving as it revealed the horrors remembered by the returned soldiers, their anger at the politicians who sent them, and their disappointment in the lack of appreciation for their sacrifice. Occasionally, the play did momentarily slip from dramatic to melodramatic.

This unique play succeeds because of the identifiable Canadian settings but also because it moves beyond the familiar and becomes an inquiry into war, political responsibility, courage and love.