Tim Mat
War has been a pervasive topic in recent months with the 100th anniversary of the First World War the 75th anniversary of the Second World War Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and Canada’s combat mission against ISIS. In Calgary a handful of current plays and exhibitions examine the subject which provide a view of war through another lens.
Following last week’s debut of Butcher at Alberta Theatre Projects which touches on civil war and David van Belle’s Liberation Days at Theatre Calgary which is set in the Netherlands following the Second World War this week marks the return of Julia Mackey’s Jake’s Gift (pictured) at Lunchbox Theatre. The award-winning play debuted in 2007 and is back onstage for the company’s 40th anniversary. Jake’s Gift is a one-woman show about a Canadian Second World War veteran who returns to Normandy France for the 60th anniversary of the D-Day invasion where he encounters a young girl who leads him to confront some long-ignored ghosts. The play runs from October 27 to November 22 — Lunchbox is offering free admission for veterans and current military personnel and will also be accepting donations for the Veterans’ Food Bank.
Calgary Opera will add to the war theme in early November with the Canadian première of Silent Night in commemoration of the anniversary of the First World War. The Pulitzer Prize-winning opera by Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell was inspired by the true story of a spontaneous truce on Christmas Eve 1914 when combatant troops laid down their weapons to celebrate the holiday together and bury their dead.
Lougheed House is also going back 100 years with A Family at War: Calgary the Lougheeds and the First World War featuring 60 historic items from its collection. For a more contemporary view of conflict Terms of Engagement at Esker Foundation contemplates Canada’s international role as a nation of warriors and peacekeepers through the eyes of three artists who journeyed to the front lines of conflict zones through the Canadian Forces Artists Program.
Another local opera company is kicking off its season although that’s as far as any comparison can go. Cowtown Opera is presenting two original “mini pocket operas” for its Cowtown Cabaret on October 24 and 25 at Festival Hall. The first is Wrecking Balls the Opera a modern take on a Miley Cyrus hit which first hit the stage at the 2014 High Performance Rodeo. The second is a spoof of the reality TV show The Bachelor complete with fighting women love duets and a rose ceremony. Local artists from Breathe Parkour and the Nagy Project will join the fun.
The School of Creative and Performing Arts is presenting Jebat by playwright Hatta Azad Khan translated by Nadia Khan until November 1 at University Theatre. Written in 1980 the tragicomedy is based on two semi-historical Malay classics from the 15th and 16th century: Sejarah Melayu (the Malay Annals) and Hikayat Hang Tuah (Epic of Hang Tuah). The director is Fasyali Fadzli an international drama graduate student from Malaysia and the play combines modern traditional eastern and western theatrical styles.
