The Belle of Winnipeg
A new original play inspired by the silent film era, and the culmination of over four years of collective creation this production combines physicality with a group of engaging characters to introduce a new vocabulary of theatrical expression in silence – save for the live accompaniment of a piano played by David Atkinson.
The Belle of Winnipeg told the story of a young woman named Belle, played by Ginette Mohr (Fish Face – Playwrights Theatre – Cultch Theatre Award, A Bird’s Eye View – Theatre LMNOP – Dora Nomination). It is 1882 and our heroine has been shipped off from her comfortable life in France to an arranged marriage in the wilds of Canada. Unimpressed with her new life in Montreal, Belle escapes her wedding only to find herself stranded smack dab in the middle of the dangerous and foreboding frontier town of Winnipeg. From the old CP railways, to drunken bar room brawls, to a well-intentioned tramp lousing up simple jobs, to a damsel in distress being tied to the train tracks, Belle is a hilarious, exciting and often touching production.
By bringing this blend of physical performance, live music and filmic elements to the stage and presenting it in an environment that is designed and costumed in black, white and shades of grey, audiences were treated to a classic form of entertainment in an entirely new way.
The Belle of Winnipeg ran at the Winchester Theatre in Toronto from November 4th-15th 2009.