HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2011-07-13, Page 9rich Signal -Star • Wednesday, July 13, 2011
my is a tribute to Canada's armed forces
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hologize for any inconvenlam this
mathave caused.
You are invited to celebrate
t Years of Stewardship in the
yfield River Watershed with
Ausable Bayfield
conservation Authority (ARCA)
Open House
t hursday, July 21, 2011
6:45 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Bayfield Arena and
Community Centre
4 Jane Street,
Bayfield, Ontario
esentatlons take place between
7 p.m. and 7:40 p.m.
For Information
r to confirm your attendance
tact Jessica Schnaithmann at
ABCA
19-235-2610.1-888-286-2610
Facsimile: 519-235=1963
jschnaithmannQ abca.on.ca
nlade, the lives changed forever or.
laid down, that was one good thing
that took place between 1914 and
1918.
"Vit1ty" makes you proud to be
Canadian. The bravery of our
country's young nen, the
dedication of medical staff, and the.
risks taken by non -fighting
personnel, all are vividly portrayed
by the talented cast of Mark
Crawford, Sebast len David,.
Meegwun Fairbrother, Greg Gale,
("Ill Garish, and Tova Smith.
That being said, "Vimy" is not a
play about war. Rather, as
quantified by playwright Vern.
Thiessen, the play explores one
small corner of a large offensive.
and explores It. differently:
It looks into the face of humanity
caught up in a terrible battle, a
battle waged on foreign soil for
home far away, for love of country,
and forwhatever reasons motivated
young Canadians to signup.
Writing and researching the play
led Thiessen to question why some
historical events are mythologized
and others are passed over, why
some memories are suppressed
while others are always with us
and is there a no-man's-land
between reality and memory,
between truth and dream?
"Vimy" fosters the same
rumination in its audiences. And
perhaps makes them ponder
whether war will ever go out of
style.
On April 9, 1917 (Easter
Monday), 20,000 Canadian men
led the first wave over the top to
storm Vimy Ridge. Despite
blinding, sleet, snow, heavy enemy
fire, and a quagmire of mud, our
troops took the ridge.
In "Vimy," four soldiers reflect on
their lives before and during the
war in a field hospital after the
battle, as a devoted young nurse
from Nova Scotia tends to the
aftermath of grief and fear --
treating their physical injuries and
trying to alleviate their unseen
wounds.
The muck and mire of trench and
tunnel warfare, the heart -
wrenching casualties, the collateral
damage beyond loss of life are
something Canadians should
revere—these things are why our
country remains free.
We should be eternally grateful
Sebastian David, Meegwun
Fairbrother in Vimy by Vern Thiessen.
that a World War has never been
waged within our borders.
The effects of war are etched in
stark relief on the fates of the play's
actors and by a well written,
touching script.
The effectively designed set is
correctly sparse and lends itself to
the play's various scenes with
smooth transition.
Sound effects and lighting
recreate the horror that was Vimy
Ridge on Zero. Day,, when for the
first time four divisions of Canadian
troops fought together.
"Every Canadian should see this
play" says Eric Coates, Blyth's
Artistic Director and Director of
"Vimy." It puts names and faces to
people who made the ultimate
sacrifice. We are honoured to
present this work inside our own
Memorial Hall.
The tales of "Vimy's" characters,
Sid, Jean Paul, Mike, Will, Laurie
and Clare, are moving and of
course all too human, stories of six
people thrown together by an
accident of war --and bound for
always by what happen&
As Laurie says "You're getting all
the mess that's in me now: Tt's
stuck in here for good:".
War does that to combatants.
And they still walk among us
today warriors who come back,
but come back very changed.
"Vimy" is a tribute to Canada's
armed forces—then and now.
Vimy History
• Although the combat at Vimy
Ridge stretched over three days,
most of the battle was fought
and won in the first day.
• 97,000 Canadians assembled
to prepare for battle.
■ Four. Victoria Crosses were
given to Canadian soldiers
who fought at Vimy Ridge.
IN There were 10,602 casualties at
Vimy Ride and 3,598 men died.
■ 3,100 Canadian women served
as nurses in the Canadian Army
Nurses Corps during WWI.
• One in three aboriginal,
First Nations or Metis men -
4,000 in total—volunteered
for service during WWI.
Jean PC Candidate
Lusa Thompson
and Special Guest
MPP John Yakabuski
Sacral Hour with Entertainment 5.30PM
()finer 6 30PM
Annual Meeting 8:OOPM
Adults $30 each or 2 for S50
Students $10