Canadian Theatre

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorHigh School, 12th grade January 2002

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Canada is one of the greatest countries to live in. Canada has a vast variety of everything. Canada has a variety of Theatrical programs. One of the programs, which gives a perfect image of Canadians, is called Midlands. Midlands is a play written by a Canadian named Wendy A. Hamilton. Wendy portrays three major themes in Midlands, which all Canadians harbor. Change, loss and memories are the three major themes in Midlands. Midlands tells the story of Tom Woolrich, 42, lover of old rock & roll, a man who liked his life just fine until somebody yanked his job out from under him. From the safe retreat of his La-Z-boy, beer fridge and reel to reel at hand, Tom summons his memories past and present to help him face his greatest fear"”change. The three themes show that Canadian theatre have a distinctive mythology, which reflect who we are and how we got that way.

A picture is worth a thousand words. A picture will also show many memories. Canada has a lot of images and pictures with memories on them. A lot of Canada's historical memories were portrayed onto photo, but they're still in our memory. Do you know where you were, in 1972, when Canada won the hockey game against Russia? Many people will never forget the great memory. Tom Woolrich, the character from Midlands, has his memories too. He remembers the 60's, when he had no responsibilities. There are some great memories from Canada, which date further back in history than the 60's. Canada had the first form of fur trade. Canada has won the only war that it had with the United States of America. Canadians remember when they immigrated to the new land. Most of those Canadians with the memories of the first immigrants are dead. Whether the Canadians are dead or alive, the memories will always remain important and present. Memories tell people who they were and who they are.

"There is perhaps nothing half-so melancholy than a battle won, is a battle lost" -Duke of Wellington. It is safe to say that Canadians are used to loss. That's not to say that Canadians are losers. Canadians became and will become stronger because of loss, therefore preventing future loses. In the year 2001, Canada lost the bid to hold the Olympics in Toronto. Canada isn't a loser in that sense. Canada will simply become stronger, and better so that next time there is a better chance to hold the Olympics in Canada. Aside from becoming stronger from loss, Canadians are not bitter if they lose. Despite winning the only was, nowadays Canadians frequently lose to the United States of America. A loss from Canada to America is portrayed by the constant "braindrain". The brain drain occurs when educated or skilled Canadians are drawn away from Canada, to America, by money. Canadians don't get upset or bitter by the loss. Who usually wins the most gold metals at the Olympics? The answer is America. Who doesn't get bitter about the loss to a brother country? Canada is the answer. In Midlands, Tom doesn't necessarily have any answers for his losses. Tom has lost his job and source of income. The only thing that Tom can do is the same thing that Canada would do. Canada wouldn't be bitter, and would rather try to prevent the loss from reoccurring. Tom isn't perfect, so he adapts with his flaws and losses. Canada is not a perfect country either, but it's pretty damn close. Canada will occasionally lose, but by dealing with a loss in the proper way, victory is to come within the future.

What do you do when a squirrel jumps in front of your moving car? Change direction would be the immediate answer. Canada doesn't necessarily drive a car, but Canada drives as a country. Canada can change direction, because people are open to change. Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. The other major cities throughout Canada are also very multicultural. Other than multiculturalism, climate and land are another part of Canada that forces Canadians to be able to change. Change doesn't come easily to everyone. A lot of people wouldn't live on the West Coast of Canada because the rain would force them to change. Tom, in Midlands, has also been forced to change. Since Tom has no job, he is being forced to change to a new job. The change may not be easy, but it may not be impossible. It's not impossible to live on the West Coast of Canada. People have to be willing to change, in order to make a difference. Canada as a country is will to make change and it makes a huge difference.

What do all of the memories, change and losses in Canadian theatre have to do with Canada? The answer is that Canadian theatre wouldn't be the same without the impact that Canadians have. In Canadian theatre, there is a distinctive mythology, which reflects who Canadians are and how they got that way. Midlands reflects who Canadians are and how they got that way. The themes of loss, memories and change are quite distinctly evident in Midlands. The themes of loss, memories and change are quite distinctly evident in Canada and its people. If Canadians took some sort of major loss and had to change as a result, the new reflections of who Canadians are and how they got that way would naturally be evident throughout Canadian Theatre.