The Mercury Players take theatre enthusiasts to Lockerbie, Scotland with their latest production of The Women of Lockerbie which will hit the stage at the Duncan Showroom from May 26 to June 4, with a mix of matinees and evening performances.
Seven years after PanAm Flight 103 crashed onto a Lockerbie residential street on Dec. 21, 1988, the women of Lockerbie still struggle with the bombing that not only shook up their neighbourhood, but their personal lives as well. This fictional production finds its inspiration from the Lockerbie ladies who laundered the passengers’ clothing before returning them to the families of the deceased.
Madeline (Megan Bourns) and Bill (Adrian Ingham) make the trek from New Jersey to Scotland, both looking for answers. While Madeline’s character searches for physical evidence that ties her son’s death to Lockerbie, Bill is plagued by the ‘why’ of it all. Why did his son have to die, and why can’t his wife find closure?
The pair find themselves heading to roam the hills after attending a vigil in the town. It is through this venture down the hillside near the creek that they encounter the women of Lockerbie. Among them, is Olive the spry senior played by Shawnigan Players regular Jan Ovans who finds conflict with the officious American George Jones (Dan Leckey) who has been tasked with the daunting task of storing and disposing of all items that were held during the bombing’s investigation.
Olive and her friends have other plans, and aim to take possession of the stored clothing items so that they can be laundered and returned to the families of the deceased. Olive is also aided by the storage facility’s feisty cleaning lady Hattie (Lori Appleton). Moving the story along in the traditional style of Greek theatre is the chorus with a grand ensemble played by Lisa Read, Bethanny Brooks, Margie Pringle, and Shauna Clinging.
Taking the reins on directing this moving tale is Sylvia Swift who is thrilled to be working in the style of Greek theatre as the chorus helps to clarify plot points while connecting with audience members along the way. This production was first set to hit the stage in March, 2020 but COVID had other plans. Director Swift was honoured on Sunday, May 21, with an award for best female actor for her outstanding work in the Mercury Players recent production of Tempting Providence at the North Island Zone Festival in Campbell River B.C.
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To quote a former director of the play, “Evil only triumphs when you allow it to. The best way to combat it, is with fierce love, great acts of kindness and strength of community.”
May 26 marks the opening night of this production with a 7:30 p.m. start time, while the weekend offers 2:30 p.m. matinees on both Saturday and Sunday. The Women of Lockerbie will also run at 7:30 p.m. from June 1 to 3, with 2:30 p.m. matinees on June 3 and 4. General admission is $25, while students, and seniors can enjoy this production for only $20. Tickets are available at Ten Old Books or online at eventbrite.ca or www.mercuryplayers.org.
