I'm working on this community play project entitled A Country Carol. It's based on the Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. I've adapted the story and set it in a rural community in Huron County, Canada, in 1899. It's the coldest winter on record. The new century is nigh. The Boer War rages overseas. Some local lads did go over to fight, two didn't come back. In a village of 800 losing two young men is significant. The war is mentioned only a few times in the piece. Bob tells Fred that Tiny Tim is following the war closely. Fred has enlisted with the Royal Canadian Regiment from London and is going to Africa to fight a month after Christmas. In our story he doesn't come back. He's one of the fallen. We will be performing this play in Memorial Hall and I thought the local military angle was worth a mention. I've also changed the names of the characters to reflect the local scene. Using street names in Blyth I've made Ebenezer Scrooge, E.B. King. Bob Cratchett is now Bob Dinsley, Jacob Marley, Jacob Morris and so on. Because I'm working with community players, people who are working at other gigs for the most part, the rehearsal is a bit catch can. Two nights a week for a couple of hours and a 4 hour shot on Saturday. There is a 6 year old in the cast, and an 80 year old. There are a number of teenagers, a smattering of young and middle aged adults. It's been interesting. In every sense. I have a lot of respect for this group, something that has grown over the process - they never say no and will give anything a try.

The idea I've presented them is that the entire story is a nightmare. (Until the end when EB wakes and it's Christmas morning). We begin in darkness. Then a small bit of moon-glow comes up revealing EB King asleep in a brass bed. He stirs restlessly. His guilty conscience causes deep rumblings inside. It's Christmas Eve like in the Dickens but E.B. is asleep from the get go in our little adventure. Soon after we meet EB - the Chorus enter. Dressed in long dark coats, mufflers, various hats of the period, carrying lit candles, they come on singing Silent Night. (I've taken some liberties with the music). They seep and sweep in from the house, from the wings, the balcony, everywhere. They are 30 men, women and children, and they are all emanating from E.B.'s guilty mind. Two Chorus spin his bed, finally easing it off stage. From the Chorus step two farmers (this is a running gag) who complain about the cold. They return to the Chorus as Bob Dinsley steps from their midst. He goes into the offices of King and Morris and begins his ciphering. E.B. fresh from being spun off stage re-enters in a long dark coat. He has to push his way through the Chorus to get to where he wants to go. The Chorus not only block his progress but sing and wish him a Merry Christmas. EB still sports his nightcap and beneath his dark coat he's wearing only a nightgown. While everyone else where's boots, EB wears slippers. Everyone, with the exception of E.B., comes from the Chorus and disappears back into the Chorus when their specific task is over. The Chorus provide all of the sounds, - the wind, the bells, a dog barking, a shutter slamming, anything we need. They are the boys at the school, the workers at Fezziwiggs (Hammiwiggs in our story - there is a Hamilton Street in Blyth) and everyone and everything else between.  The blanket from E.B.'s bed provides a spooky sheer that covers Jacob Morris' face when he makes his appearance. The bed, on wheels, is like a spinning time machine as the various spirits take EB on a Cook's tour of his past, present and his potential future.

We've been working on movement - walking in place, moving in slow motion, varying tempos. It has been amazing to watch this group throw themselves into every exercise. It's gotta be strange for most of them. But to their credit they've offered themselves up to the journey and I've been really appreciative of that fact. It has been tricky to get people to commit to the project as my asking has come very late in the season - most people are already booked. Some want to be coaxed but I've stopped doing that. There is a steady crowd of enthusiastic individuals who show up for each and every rehearsal and they will lead this story to the boards over in the Hall. I was at a loss as to who would play the lead, EB. But a woman, Connie, has proven herself up for the gig.  She's doing an engaging job - getting more comfortable with every rehearsal. It's been interesting to watch her arrive, get lost, and then arrive again. She's not intimidated - neither by the size of the role nor the strangeness of it.

One of the sidebar bonuses of doing this project is the math of figuring it all out - from the get go through to the final note, it requires a great deal of attention. That's been very cool. We shall see how it all turns but helping create this play has been one of my favourite things since returning to Blyth...