Wait no more
On a sweltering May afternoon, with an apocalyptic smokescreen descending upon the ruins of a burned-down monastery in St. Norbert, director Rodrigo Beilfuss leads rehearsals for a play that's frustrated him every day since preparation began in April.
'It's killing me in a beautiful way,' the artistic director of Shakespeare in the Ruins says with a smile.
The work he's discussing is Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, a play that since its première has confounded, confused, delighted and enlightened audiences the world over.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Macbeth (Darren Martens, left) and Lady Macbeth (Lindsay Nance) are the sensual heart of Shakespeare's classic murder mystery.
Called an 'acrid cartoon of the story of mankind' in 1956 by New York Times reviewer Brooks Atkinson, Godot opens on June 13 in St. Norbert, with an estimable cast led by Arne MacPherson's Vladimir, Cory Wojcik's Estragon and Tom Keenan's Pozzo.
This season at the Ruins, the company is producing Godot in repertory with Macbeth, which opens tonight, directed by Emma Welham.
Last produced by SiR as an award-winning feature film in 2020 as a pandemic pivot project, the Scottish-based play features Darren Martens in the titular role, alongside Lindsay Nance (Lady Macbeth), Tracy Penner (Banquo), Ray Strachan (Macduff) and three actors — Keenan, Liam Dutiaume and Mackenzie Wojcik (Cory Wojcik's son) — who will straddle the worlds of Beckett and Shakespeare by appearing in both productions.
Welham, making her professional directing debut, says that like Godot, Macbeth is a challenging, layered piece of theatre that demands
consideration of tragic structure, the presence of the supernatural and the masks its characters wear to cover their private selves.
In complementary ways, both directors agree, the works wrestle with human nature, trust and the fallibility of the universe.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Emma Welham takes on the challenge
of directing Macbeth.
'Throughout the course of the play — spoiler alert — Macbeth becomes a tyrannical ruler, and this show really asks the question of how we're willing to stand up to it. What are we willing to do to stand up against injustice? It asks the question of who we put our trust in and why,' says Welham, who just finished her first year at the National Theatre School's directing program in Montreal.
'The central image of the show I return to is when Lady Macbeth says, 'Look like the innocent flower / but be the serpent under't.''
Nothing is exactly as it seems, and as in Godot, the work calls into question what is ever knowable about the characters we watch onstage or meet in day-to-day life.
At the rehearsal for Godot, the cast and crew are working their way through the particularities of the movement and dialogue in
Beckett's two-act tragicomedy, so clearly described in the script that each time the slavish Lucky (Dutiaume) moves a muscle, it must perfectly follow — or blatantly ignore — the orders of Keenan's prim Pozzo.
'It's relentlessly specific,' Beilfuss says, again smiling.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Director Emma Welham (right) works with Darren Martens and Lindsay Nance prior to the opening of Macbeth.
'Can you propose a rhythm for us?' MacPherson asks the director after his Vladimir and Wojcik's Estragon ran through a playful tête à tête.
Moments later, Keenan tests his character's coachmen's whip, and soon, Pozzo is smoking a pipe and discarding the bones from a bucket of freshly consumed St. Norbert fried chicken.
Sundays
Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba.
Nearby, Mackenzie Wojcik, his father and Dutiaume kick around a hacky sack in the shade of a monastery wall.
After about an hour, stage managers decide it's time for a break, suggesting the cast drink water and take respite from the sun.
'I don't know where a logical place to break is,' Keenan says.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Darren Martens and Lindsay Nance get up to a bit of mayhem and murder in Macbeth.
'That's the problem with this play,' says Beilfuss, laughing.
ben.waldman@winnipegfreepress.com
Ben WaldmanReporter
Ben Waldman is a National Newspaper Award-nominated reporter on the Arts & Life desk at the Free Press. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Ben completed three internships with the Free Press while earning his degree at Ryerson University's (now Toronto Metropolitan University's) School of Journalism before joining the newsroom full-time in 2019. Read more about Ben.
Every piece of reporting Ben produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
Cree reimagining of Macbeth makes makes Treaty 1 territory debut in Brandon
A reimagining of Macbeth — set in a time before colonization and rooted in the Cree worldview, language and tradition — is set to be performed on Treaty 1 territory for the first time this weekend. Pawâkan, a production from Akpik Theatre — a professional theatre company founded in the Northwest Territories in 2008 that now tours across Canada — transforms Shakespeare's classic tale of ambition and betrayal into a celebration of Indigenous culture. Audiences in Manitoba will now get to see it for the first time, with performances on Sunday and Monday at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium in Brandon. Playwright Reneltta Arluk says it centres Indigenous voices, showing the strength and complexity of Cree life before colonization. Part of that, she says, is using laughter as healing. "Indigenous people ... our laughter is such a huge part of who we are as people. There's a lot of humour in this play," Arluk said. While the story draws loosely from Macbeth, it has been completely rewritten to elevate Cree perspectives and language. The main character, Macikosisân, is consumed by a cannibal spirit known as "the one who walks alone" — whose name is only spoken when snow is on the ground — symbolizing greed and violence, Arluk said. The three witches of Shakespeare's play are reimagined as the wiyôyôwak, spiritual beings who challenge the characters to reflect on identity and spirituality. Pawâkan was born out of time spent with students and elders in the Cree community of Frog Lake First Nation, on Treaty 6 territory in northern Alberta, and during her residency across various reserves, Arluk said. Macbeth became a tool to talk about greed and the cannibal spirit, she said. Elders told stories of the spirit, while youth shared stories of the land. That blend inspired her to reshape the tragedy into Pawâkan, a story that explores how imbalance, isolation, and spiritual hunger affect communities. "This play is about balance. It's about when you go too far one way, and you isolate yourself and others," Arluk said. "We need each other as people. We need each other more than ever. And so that's what this play really does.... It really asks each other to be there for each other." Elevating Indigenous voices Pawâkan has toured Treaty 6 territory — including Edmonton, North Battleford, Sask., and Frog Lake — as well as parts of the Atlantic and Northwest Territories. There are actually two versions of the play — the touring 90-minute version, titled The Community Telling of Pawâkan, and a full-length version that hasn't yet been produced. Its Brandon performance is unique in another way — it's happening in summer near the summer solstice. Traditionally, director Barry Bilinsky says, stories like Pawâkan are told in the dead of winter. That means the shorter version also has two versions — one for winter, and one for summer. In the summer version, the name of the cannibal spirit is omitted. "We need the winter to balance out the summer, we need the light to balance the dark," he said. "It reminds us of what our ancestors went through, and what people right now are going through, and what it means to be truly starving." The play is also a chance to celebrate Cree culture, especially in communities that don't often see large theatre productions, Arluk said. When she graduated from theatre school, there were few opportunities for Indigenous actors, even with formal training, she said. "It was still really challenging to get into those theatres, because I was Indigenous, and those stories were not our stories," she said. She wants to change that. Making space for Indigenous artists is critical, she says, especially because Shakespeare is deeply embedded in Canadian education — even in isolated communities where Indigenous stories often are not. She's seen first-hand how students light up when they get to share Cree cosmology. "It's powerful … these stories of the land," she said. "I do truly believe that our stories are the most intrinsic and compelling stories." Bilinsky agrees, adding the production is also a statement about Indigenous presence on stage. "It's so vital for young people to see themselves up on stage and to understand that these languages aren't dead, that these stories aren't gone and that … we can be on those stages," he said. Every performance feels different, Bilinsky says. Some audiences are full of Cree speakers, laughing along with the jokes, while others are quiet and reverent. During some performances, he's heard pop cans cracked open mid-show or audiences rustling snacks — moments that remind him how diverse these communities are, Bilinsky said. One recent show included evacuees displaced by wildfires. He hopes Pawâkan offered a reprieve for them, and will offer others a reminder of Indigenous perseverance.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Star-studded summer
While students and teachers alike count down the days until school is out for summer, the Free Press Summer Reading Challenge for Kids is ready to start a fresh session. An offshoot of the Free Press Book Club, the summer reading challenge — developed in partnership with McNally Robinson Booksellers — provides suggested titles for young readers aged 7 to 9, 10 to 12 and 13 to 15. Four books are chosen for each reading level and offer a diverse range of topics, perspectives and formats. This is the sixth summer the Free Press has facilitated the reading challenge, which also offers participants the opportunity to submit reviews of the books they've read from their given reading lists. Send in reviews of around 100-150 words and include a rating out of five stars; your review could end up among those featured both online and in the printed version of the Free Press books pages when they run in late July and August. More information about each book on the reading lists, as well as additional information about what to include in reviews, can be found at All of the books are available for purchase at McNally Robinson, and almost all are also available at the Winnipeg Public Library. The launch of the Summer Reading Challenge for Kids once again coincides with a giveaway that will see three lucky bookworms from each reading level win all the books on their preferred list. To enter the giveaway, parents or guardians need to register an email address at and then fill out the giveaway entry form by Friday, June 27. To register for the Summer Reading Challenge for Kids for free and to access reading resources and activities sent by email throughout the summer, visit Questions? email bookclub@ Two Green Birds, by Geraldo Valério Buy on Mystery at the Biltmore, by Colleen Nelson, illustrated by Peggy Collins Buy on Three Thieves Tower of Treasure, by Scott Chantler Buy on Katrina Hyena, Stand-Up Comedian, by Sophie Kohn, illustrated by Aparna Varma Buy on No Purchase Necessary, by Maria Marianayagam Buy on The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage, by David A. Robertson Buy on Bea Mullins Takes a Shot, by Emily Deibert Buy on The Ghosts of Bitterfly Bay, by Mary Averling Buy on The Queen's Spade, by Sarah Raughley Buy on Messy Perfect, by Tanya Boteju Buy on A Constellation of Minor Bears, by Jen Ferguson Buy on Zombie Apocalypse Running Club, by Carrie Mac Buy on
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
For Winnipeg mural artist, blank space is her happy place
Rachel Lancaster has a thing for blank walls — she can't drive past one without wanting to leave her mark on it. The mural artist is always on the search for the perfect canvas and, when she sees a wall she likes, she doesn't think twice before offering her painting services. 'That happens all the time. I've driven past a wall and wanted to paint it…. I will find the company and contact them. I always do it; why not? When you run your own small business you do whatever,' she says, laughing. Photos by Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Mural artist Rachel Lancaster creates huge artworks to fill empty spaces and has painted walls, garage doors and the exteriors of sea containers. There's one in particular she can't get out of her mind — an exterior wall belonging to Local Public Eatery, a downtown restaurant/bar on Garry Street. 'They have a beautiful white wall that faces a big parking lot. It's ideal for a mural — a mural is meant to be viewed from way back, because people then have enough room to look at it (properly),' she says. Lancaster been painting murals for almost 15 years now. It was a side gig when she first started. She would take on commissions in the evenings and on weekends, jumping in her car — always packed with brushes and paints — to create for as long as she could. 'I didn't have kids back then so I would paint all weekend. I never hung out, I just painted,' she says. Then the COVID-19 pandemic struck and Lancaster, an event co-ordinator, lost her job. She took on more painting gigs, assuming she'd return to her previous role when things settled down, but she never did. By then she was also pregnant, which spurred her decision to become a professional artist. 'Life had another plan and I just went with it and whatever happened, happened,' she says. Five years later and Lancaster now has a clothing line, she's designed colouring books and she has just written and illustrated her first children's book, posting her latest endeavours on her Instagram account, @rachel_lancaster_artist. Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Lancaster's tools of her trade — painting brushes and palettes. But murals remain her main focus. These days the artist is often booked two to three months in advance and has travelled throughout the province and beyond for painting commissions. The dream now is to go further afield. 'I've gone all over Manitoba, I've painted in Saskatchewan and in Ontario and up north in The Pas. I will travel worldwide to paint; I have a 10-year bucket list for my business and one of the things I want to paint is a really large wall in New York City,' she says. Lancaster paints on any kind of wall surface — stucco, brick, metal, wood, drywall, shipping container — and accepts both indoor and outdoor commissions. Her outdoor mural season usually runs from May to October while indoor mural painting extends from November to the following spring. She often rents a lift for taller buildings — she recently completed a mural on a six-storey apartment complex in Osborne Village — or uses an extension ladder for two-storey structures. Monthly What you need to know now about gardening in Winnipeg. An email with advice, ideas and tips to keep your outdoor and indoor plants growing. It's a physically demanding job, especially in the summer when she has to climb up and down ladders, sometimes up to 60 times per mural. She doesn't take on extra help either. The job suits her lifestyle and her personality. It feels, she says, like something she is meant to be doing. Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Lancaster finishes up a large mural on the side of a garage in a Winnipeg backyard. 'I love it. It's unlike anything else. When I was working in an office I would finish my work then stare at the clock. I would pace, I would go into different offices to chit-chat. I thought this was how life was, this was how work was meant to be. 'But this doesn't feel like work. The more I do it, the more I fall in love with it. I am in charge of my own schedule. I don't look at the clock, I don't take breaks, I don't stop for lunch. I just paint and then I go home when I'm done. It's blissful,' she says. AV KitchingReporter AV Kitching is an arts and life writer at the Free Press. She has been a journalist for more than two decades and has worked across three continents writing about people, travel, food, and fashion. Read more about AV. Every piece of reporting AV produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
