Gracie explores the life of a girl growing up in a polygamist society in Bountiful, BC. Local playwright Joan MacLeod wrote the play; she says that she would like audience members to come away from the play with a conscious mind about what’s happening in BC, and even here in Victoria.
“I’d like for people to listen to what Gracie has to say,” she says, “and think about what’s happening in our own province, and to try and uphold the right to religious freedom, as well as how that impacts children that grow up in a polygamist community. It’s an interesting thing to look at, discuss, and weigh in on.”
Lili Beaudoin plays Gracie and, according to MacLeod, does a fantastic job of taking on the role and responsibilities that come with a one-person show.
“She’s an amazing actor,” says MacLeod. “She’s very young but very well trained, and she’ll try anything. When the play starts, she’s playing an eight-year-old and she conveys the feeling of an eight-year-old. She’s very open emotionally and that’s very important for the type of plays I write.”
MacLeod says that the playwright being present as much as possible really helps get the direction, and the play, right.
“In a premiere production it’s important to work closely with your actors,” says MacLeod. “I just came from the rehearsal hall; we’ve been working intensely and I’ve been there every day, except one where I had to teach. In a premiere I think it’s really important that the playwright’s there.”
Although a one-person show might seem intimidating to put together, MacLeod has plenty of experience writing them. According to her, Gracie actually follows a pattern that is quite common in her other work.
“In a way, it’s not different than my other plays. It follows a pattern; this is my fifth one-person play. I tend to write a play with a bunch of different characters and then follow that one up with a one-person show. It’s inspired by some true and some fiction events, and that’s something I do a lot of.”
MacLeod says that being a playwright requires a lot of focus and tenacity to be successful.
“Writing is hard work; all students know that,” she says. “So just having the discipline to write, rewrite, and persevere, even when it seems kind of crappy, is important. Even when you write for the theatre, you’re doing most of it alone, and, you know, I’d say that’s the hardest part.”
Gracie
Until Sunday, February 19
Various prices, Belfry Theatre
belfry.bc.ca