NAC indigenous theatre 2019 Archives - Capital Critics' Circle / Le cercle des critiques de la capitale

Moshkamo: The Unnatural and Accidental Women : the voices of the disappeared still speak to us in this immersive event.

By Alvina Ruprecht | September 21, 2019

The Unnatural and Accidental Women. Set by Andy Moro, Photo Barbara Gray

Let’s be clear from the outset. This performance has absolutely nothing to do with Surrealism, nor is it too long. Rituals go on endlessly and repeat themselves non-stop. Clearly this particular theatre-ritual deals with one of the most disturbing and shameful situations we have ever experienced on our collective territory: the murder of women from First Nations, Métis Nation, Inuit groups. In spite of the hearings, investigations and apparent concerns for these lives, no guilty party has ever been identified or punished. These murders are treated as unsolvable mysteries, and the women themselves are relegated to “accidental” beings who perhaps never even existed! But they do exist, and still exist, as Marie Clements shows us in this powerful encounter between her theatrical conception of their lives, and, director Muriel Miguel’s choreography, along with a list of extremely talented collaborators and the voices of the disappeared who still inhabit the natural world and are still speaking to us through these artists. …

Moshkamo :Historic opening for NAC’s indigenous theatre in Ottawa

By Patrick Langston | September 15, 2019

Monique Mojica and PJ Prudat, The Unnatural and Accidental Women by Marie Clément. Photo: Justin Tang

No two ways about it: Opening night of Marie Clements’ play The Unnatural and Accidental Women at the NAC was significant.

It marked the revival of a respected writer’s story about murdered Indigenous women that, including its premiere in 2000, has had only a couple of previous productions (yes, alarm bells did chime at that infrequency). More importantly, it was the first show in the inaugural season of NAC Indigenous Theatre, a much-anticipated landmark in Canadian theatre.

Expectation and goodwill had the audience buzzing on Friday.

Kevin Loring, the passionate artistic director of the new Indigenous theatre department, greeted us, as did Jillian Keiley, Loring’s counterpart in NAC English Theatre (the show is a co-production by the two departments).

Algonquin elder Annie Smith St. Georges, who’s been welcoming NAC English Theatre audiences to traditional Algonquin Territory for some time, spoke before the show, concluding her introductory remarks by saying, “Miigwech, and have a great time.”

And there’s the rub.

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