The sky in Millbrook seems to go on forever, so you wouldn’t be shocked to see it being traversed by flocks of geese. But in the 1820’s the geese weren’t coming over by flight, but by boat; two thousand Irish immigrants searching for a new life and prosperity in Canada. The world premiere of Megan Murphy’s Wild Irish Geese, deftly directed by Kim Blackwell, is the very definition of theatre: to teach and delight. Taking place on the picturesque Winslow Farm, Wild Irish Geese is a quintessential 4^th Line Theatre show, and it comes as no surprise that every performance has been sold out!

Stepping foot onto Winslow Farm is like being thrust back in time; the large barns which comprise the playing space with their weathered sides and rock foundations are the ideal setting for a play which has its roots in the farming communities of both Ireland and Canada. When I arrived on Tuesday evening, there was a beautifully bright rainbow perfectly arched over the farm, a beautiful symbol of hope which embodies the themes of the play. Much of the seating at Winslow Farm is covered, keeping the majority of the audience safe from the light rain we had that night. It’s hard to imagine a more fitting location for Murphy’s moving production.

Wild Irish Geese features the history of the Robinson Irish Emigration in the 1800’s, and how those Irish farmers came to settle Millbrook and the surrounding area. Blending folktale with fact, Wild Irish Geese is a mesmerizing story told with all of the best theatre magic. The potato crops just don’t seem to want to grow in Ireland, and the farmers are getting desperate; their landlords are knocking at the door for rent they don’t have, and they’re barely making do with what they can afford. Meanwhile, the British are looking to further colonize Upper Canada, to clear the land and start growing food. Enter Peter Robinson, whose solution is to have the Irish farmers and their families move to Canada, be given land, and then they can grow fresh crops free from the blight the’ve been facing. Little did they know how hard it would be once they arrived here: huge trees, new and larger wildlife, and snow like they’d never seen before all awaited as they searched for tír na nog.

There is some incredible theatre-making magic which has gone into the design for Wild Irish Geese. Michelle Chesser’s set design turns the giant barns into humble Irish homes, the belly of the massive ships they ride over on, and their new Canadian homesteads all with a few simple yet effective set pieces. However, some of my favourites involved some larger set pieces which really pack a punch: the large banner they use to create the main ship which the Hickey family sails on is certainly one of them. With an unfurled sail containing the names of the families who braved the crossing, along with this large profile of the ship, but us right on board with the characters. The steam ship which they use to traverse the St. Lawrence River is made of a single sheet of cloth, some tubes for the steam pipes, and two umbrellas as the paddle wheels! The ingenuity of it blew me away! Add to it Bonnie Garland’s beautiful costumes and you truly feel as if you’ve travelled back in time. I loved the sounds that particularly the skirts made as the actors ran from place to place at the top of the show – that whoosh of the material sweeping us all away to another time and place. The colours and fabrics for everyone’s costumes immediately allowed us to understand how they fit into society, and I particularly enjoyed how bright and garish the British costumes were compared to the more muted Earth tones of the Irish.

Murphy tells this story brilliantly, not just as the writer, but as the Seanchaí or storyteller throughout the play. She’s not only clearly done plenty of research into local history, but she’s distilled the experience of thousands down into this heartwarming and informative story. The references which she’s baked into the text to various other musicals is not only fun for the audience, but the choices were wisely made: West Side Story, Oliver!, and Les Miserables are all about the poor, the disenfranchised, or immigrants, which perfectly befits the subject matter of the play.

However, the inclusion and honouring of the indigenous peoples who were here long before the Irish arrived gives Wild Irish Geese a heartwarming gravitas. The land acknowledgement is written right into the show, along with the recognition of our lack of knowledge about the Indigenous populations of the time. Nika Miigwan (played beautifully by Patti Shaughnessy), whose name means goose feather, has a beautiful presence within the production – both fiercely protecting her land while also showing kindness to the clearly unprepared newcomers. This moments are so much more powerful than a standard land acknowledgement; by weaving in the indigenous ancestors and their histories in with our own, we speak all of these people back into existence.

Wild Irish Geese boasts one of the largest casts I’ve seen in a while, particularly for an outdoor show! Amongst this talented ensemble, there were several stand out performances. Topping the list is Megan Murphy herself, making pure magic as the Seanchaí. M. John Kennedy’s effervescence shines through his role as Peter Robinson, not to mention that he gets to show off his rapping skills at a key point in the text. Paul Crough’s John Hickey is at times heartwarming and others heartbreaking, playing each in turn with the same passion. Lindsay Wilson’s performance as Johanna Hickey pulled at my heartstrings; there’s a profound strength and resilience which emanate from her character. Indigo Chesser and Poppy Alderson are some of the younger performers in the show, yet their tenacity makes them shine in their respective roles as Mary Hickey and Erin Sullivan. It feels difficult to attempt to sum up the incredible impact each and every one of the cast have on this show; they bring such life and joy to this journey.

Wild Irish Geese had a sold-out run at 4^th Line Theatre this summer, and after getting to witness the show myself, it came as no surprise. This uplifting tale of perseverance and resilience against the wilderness of Canada, and the founding of the area in which the show is taking place, gives audiences a whole new appreciation for the place they call home. I can only hope to get to travel back to Winslow Farm for future adventures with 4^th Line Theatre.

Keep an eye out for next season’s shows from 4^th Line Theatre here: https://www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca/

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Cover Photo: The Cast of Wild Irish Geese. Directed by Kim Blackwell. Photo by Wayne Eardley.

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