Halifax’s The Villains Theatre is on the road. With stops in New Brunswick before returning to the HRM later this month, the indie theatre company presents Colleen Arcturus MacIsaac’s Merritt Award-nominated play A Beginner’s Guide to the Night Sky.
It has very much taken a fictional turn, but I was inspired by my father, who is an amateur astronomer and has early on set dementia… – Colleen Arcturus MacIsaac
Semi-autobiographical, MacIssac was inspired to write the play by their father. “It has very much taken a fictional turn, but I was inspired by my father, who is an amateur astronomer and has early on set dementia, which is something that is explored in the play as well,” says MacIssac.
Set against a starlit sky, A Beginner’s Guide to the Night Sky introduces us to Léo, who invites us into their mother’s observational astronomy class. Through this lens, Albertine guides Léo and the audience through the night sky with music, metaphor, and story to explore the vastness of the universe and the interconnectedness of all things. “Albertine has this bubbly, infectious energy, and we also learn about what has brought Léo here and why they are talking to us,” says MacIsaac.
MacIsaac drew inspiration for the play from their family history, recalling how they ventured into the frigid Edmonton nights with their father as a child to look at the stars, moments that left a lasting impression. “I remember as a kid, he would always be trying to take us stargazing,” says MacIssac. “We lived in Edmonton, and it would be minus 20, and he’s out there making us wait around while he tried to get the telescope working.”
One of the play’s central themes is coping with dementia, a topic close to MacIsaac’s heart. Writing about such a personal subject wasn’t easy, and staging it brought tears during rehearsals. “Pretty much everyone who’s worked on it has some connection to someone with dementia or a long-term illness,” says MacIsaac.
Despite its heavier moments, MacIsaac says the play has its lighter side. “There are also a lot of laughs in the show,” they say.
MacIssac hopes they will one day be able to share their play with their father. “My dad is still alive and is in a care home in Edmonton, and I really hope to tour the play there someday so that he can see it,” they say.
In addition to the personal connection through their father’s battle with dementia, MacIssac also found inspiration in an original desire to write a piece that took place outdoors. “I love thinking about the night sky and this amateur astronomer looking up at the stars and thinking about all these big philosophical questions but also dealing with a very real parent-child relationship,” they say.
Designed specifically to be performed outside, with some performances offering a rainy day contingency if required, the play’s venues mirror its celestial themes. “It starts at dusk, into twilight and by the end of the play, it’s in full darkness,” says MacIssac.
Although MacIssac is not a seasoned stargazer, the night sky still holds a personal fascination beyond what they were introduced to by their father. “I wouldn’t even call myself an avid amateur astronomer, but whenever I am outside and I can see the stars, I’ll look for the shapes that he taught me,” they say. “It’s also given me a good sense of thinking about our place in the universe and how we position ourselves at both the macrocosm and the microcosmic level.”
While MacIssac’s play is rooted in personal experience, it also points to the importance of live theatre. “There’s something about theatre being live and in person that is so vital,” they say. “And I think that with this play, because you’re implicated as a member of this outdoor astronomy class, you get involved in this gently interactive way.”
The Villains Theatre presents A Beginner’s Guide to the Night Sky in Sackville, NB, on September 20 and Fredericton, NB, on September 21 before returning to the HRM with performances at Musquodoboit Harbour’s Steeple Green on September 26 and at the Cambridge Battery in Halifax’s Point Pleasant Park on September 28. Visit villainstheatre.com for tickets and information.