Horrors of Residential Schools Revealed
The Daily Courier
If ever there was a play steeped in truth, however ugly that truth may be, Where the Blood Mixes hits the proverbial nail on the head. It also strikes deep in the heart and mind, shedding much-needed light on a part of Canadian history that is, on all levels, shameful. Penned by Kevin Loring, the play peels back the layers of memory that are carried like a protective blanket by First Nations survivors of the brutal residential schools where thousands of young children were forced to live by the Canadian government. Forcibly taken away from their families and communities, the church-run school system existed from the 1870s through the 1990s, leaving a legacy of physical, mental and sexual abuse, and thousands of deaths, in their wake. The award-winning play (2009 Governor General's Award for Drama) will be staged March 6 -7 in the Mary Irwin Theatre, Rotary Centre for the Arts, and stars Lorne Cardinal (Corner Gas) and Graig Lauzon (Royal Canadian Air Farce). They portray two best friends, Floyd and Mooch, who were raised in residential schools doing what they do--fishing and drinking, taking part in the salmon run in their hometown of Kumsheen, a.k.a. Lillooet. "Both of my parents were survivors of the Kamloops school," Cardinal noted. "My dad was 65 years old when he told me about the abuse he endured, and when he told me, my whole life clicked into place. I finally realized why there were issues. Generations of broken people." Cardinal reflected candidly on his own upbringing recalling that there are "things you take for granted" like "self-image and self-worth." "I finally realized why my mother never hugged us," he said, referring to his and his brothers' childhood. "At the residential school, she wasn't allowed to hug or be hugged. You can't pass on love to your own kids if you never had love as a child yourself." The play obviously strikes a deeply resonant note with him and Lauzon, and he recalls how after the Kamloops production, several people approached him and said they were totally unaware of the "worst residential school in Canada", just across the river. "It's amazing how many are not aware of this piece of Canadian history," he said. "But it's not just a play of sadness. There's a lot of humour and hope, and it's not all bleak. It ends with hope. You'll laugh, cry and then laugh some more," he promised. "Bring lots of tissue." Irreverently funny and brutally honest, Where the Blood Mixes, is a moving story of loss and redemption. The two characters confront their own demons when Floyd's daughter returns to Kumsheen after 20 years, seeking her past and her family. Her arrival is the catalyst that unleashes a flood of memories and secrets, and finds a deeply personal story about humanity and survival. Cardinal brought the play to the attention of director Bradley Moss several years ago, with the directive "It's going to be great. You should do it." "As ugly as it is, we face it head on in order to understand ourselves," Cardinal said. "It's pertinent, it's important and it's current," he added. The veteran of film, TV and stage, added that the playwright felt the production, as portrayed by Cardinal and Lauzon, "comes the closest to his personal vision." As emotional and close to his heart as the play is, Cardinal falls back on his professional acting skills and techniques to "keep a balance" in the heartfelt scenes. "Live theatre demands a different set of skills, and I've always loved theatre, being on stage," he said. "I love film too. I do film work to support my love of acting on stage. The pay cheque is better," he quipped. When asked if he toys with the idea of heading south of the border to try his luck in Los Angeles, Cardinal laughs and states "Nope. LA is a big, smelly city with lots of weird people. I'm staying here." Cardinal began his acting career in Kelowna back in the '80s, before getting a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Alberta, and was the first aboriginal student to achieve that benchmark. He appeared in 107 episodes on Corner Gas as Davis Quinton, and as Zachary Ward in Arctic Air, as well as numerous other roles in TV and film. He has four Gemini Award nominations, and was awarded with the honour once.
QUICKFACTS What: Where the Blood Mixes, by Kevin Loring, starring Lorne Cardinal and Craig Lauzon, with Western Canada Theatre. When: March 6 & 7 at 7:30 p.m. Where: Mary Irwin Theatre, Rotary Centre for the Arts.
Tickets: Available at the RCA box office, 250-717-5304, www.selectyourtickets.ca
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