Women of the Fur Trade

Women of the Fur Trade is a play by written by Frances Koncan about the Métis-led Red River Resistance against European colonisers. It premiered in 2020.

Women of the Fur Trade
Written byFrances Koncan
Directed byAudrey Dwyer
CharactersMarie-Angelique, Eugenia, Cecelia, Louis Riel, Thomas Scott (Orangeman)
Date premiered2020
Place premieredRoyal Manitoba Theatre Centre
SubjectRed River Resistance

Production

The play is written by Frances Koncan of Couchiching First Nation.[1]

2020 production

In the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre's[2] 2020 production that ran at the Warehouse Theatre, Cecelia was played by Liz Whitbread, Marie-Angelique was played by Kathleen MacLean, and Eugenia was played by Kelsey Kanatan Wavey.[1] John Cook plays Louis Riel and Toby Hughes plays Thomas Scott.[3]

Audrey Dwyer directed.[1]

Synopsis

Women of the Fur Trade is set in one room of a fort in Red River during the 19th century Red River Resistance.[2] It features three women who discuss their perspectives on the changing world around them, European influence, the fur trade and the Métis leader Louis Riel.[1] The three characters are Métis women Marie-Angelique; an Ojibwe Manitoban trapper, Eugenia; and a European settler, Cecelia.[2] Marie-Angelique is a strong supporter of Louis Riel, Cecelia has a romantic crush on Thomas Scott, who is killed by Riel, and Eugenia cares for no men.[2] The narration switches between 19th and 21st century language and perspectives, as the women talk about men, the relationships between Indigenous peoples and European settlers.[1]

The play incorporates comedic elements.[3]

Critical reception

Women of the Fur Trade won the Toronto Fringe Festival Best New Play award in 2018.[1] Journalist Stephanie Cram, reviewing the play for the CBC described it as a "fun and clever" look at Manitoba's history.[2] Ian Ross of the Winnipeg Free Press described the play as "a timely, provocative piece of theatre written from a perspective and voice we need to hear."[3]

See also

References
  1. Stranger, Darrell (2020-03-02). "Life, love and Louis Riel: New play Women of the Fur Trade opens in Winnipeg". APTN News. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  2. Cram, Stephanie (28 Feb 2020). "History, humour and a dash of Keanu Reeves: Women of the Fur Trade a fun, clever look at Red River Resistance". CBC.
  3. Ross, Ian (27 Feb 2020). "Feb 2020: Women are the Riel deal in comedic drama that puts a modern spin on Manitoba's past". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
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