Inside The Glace Bay Miners Museum
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Set against the darkness and disasters of the coal
mines of 1940’s Cape Breton, The Glace Bay Miners Museum – which runs from Feb
26 to Mar 17 at the Neptune Theatre in Halifax - is the joyful, heart-scalding story of
Margaret MacNeil and her rebellious love for Neil Currie, a miner and bagpiper.
Recently, Arts East spoke with Francine Deschepper, who plays the lead role of
Margaret, about the upcoming production.
When and why did you get involved with theatre?
I guess
from a very early age, I was one of those kids that was always performing. My
friends and I would create little variety shows with songs and skits for the
captive audience of our families. But I got into theatre seriously when I took
the acting program at Acadia University.
Are
they the same reasons that you do it today?
I have
always had a rich imagination. I love pretending to be someone else and I love
entertaining...so that has stayed true. Another reason I love my job is the
fantastically talented, warm, smart, and happy people I get to collaborate
with.
What
have been some career highlights?
I
recently did a show called When It Rains (2b Theatre) at La Mama in New York
City and last fall we ran Glace Bay Miners' Museum at the National Arts Centre
in Ottawa. Both of these were highlights in my career because it was a chance
to showcase Halifax on national and international stages.
How
did you get involved with this production?
When
Neptune announced their 50th Anniversary season last year and I saw that GBMM
was one of the shows, I immediately contacted director Mary Vingoe to beg for
an audition. I was lucky to be around at Ship's Company Theatre when the
original production of Wendy Lill's beautiful play was created. I was fresh out
of theatre school and in total awe of the team putting together this
show...especially Mary-Colin Chisholm in the role of Margaret. I decided then
and there that I wanted to follow in her footsteps, and now I sort of am.
What
are the challenges of the role?
Margaret
grows throughout the play not just in age but in emotional maturity. Before
meeting Neil, she is a young, awkward, somewhat damaged and defensive girl but
eventually, with his love, she blossoms into a confident, wise, and content
woman. The challenge of playing a character like this is finding a true
connection to all that big emotion and being sincere with it.
What
do you like about it?
The play
is based on a short story (of the same name) by Cape Breton writer Sheldon
Currie and it is a gem...funny, heartbreaking, and a little shocking. I grew up
in Cape Breton, and I feel I know all these characters. Although the play is
set in the 1940s, many of the issues they face are still very relevant. And, of
course, the music and the stories are such an intricate part of CB culture. Our
creative team has really brought the play to life with a rugged set, vintage
costumes, haunting score, and beautiful lighting. And my co-actors knock it out
of the park (or as we say in the play, "hit it over the outhouse").
What a dream team!
What
can audiences expect during the run?
I'm
excited to do this show for a Nova Scotia audience. I think, like me, they will
connect with this eccentric, dysfunctional family and the way they face
hardship with a good dose of humour. Audiences can expect some lively (and
live) Cape Breton music, many home-grown laughs, a dash of romance, a
sprinkling of tears, and a pinch of the macabre.
What's
next on your creative agenda?
I will be
touring When It Rains in London, Ontario and parts of New Brunswick and Nova
Scotia in the spring and then likely heading out of town for summer
theatre...hopefully near a beach.
