Award-Winning Drowning Girls Opens in Toronto Oct. 14

By Andrew Gans
and Kenneth Jones
14 Oct 2009

The Drowning Girls, the acclaimed Canadian play about three Edwardian women who were drowned by their gold-digging husband, officially opens Oct. 14 in a production by Bent Out of Shape, at Tarragon Theatre's Extra Space in Toronto.

The play by Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson and Daniela Vlaskalic is directed by Tomlinson and features Graham, Vlaskalic and Natascha Girgis.

The production, which began previews Oct. 6, will run to Nov. 15.

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According to Tarragon notes, "As The Drowning Girls opens, Bessie (Daniela Vlaskalic), Alice (Beth Graham) and Margaret (Natascha Girgis) emerge from bathtubs full of water to relive their romance with George Joseph Smith, the man who married each one of them, and offered them reprieve from the lonely life of a spinster. Unfortunately, George Joseph Smith was far from the loving husband these women hoped for. Instead, he was an Edwardian opportunist — a notorious scoundrel — who drowned his three wives in their baths to collect their insurance policies. As the women make their case against their murderous husband, it becomes clear what an unscrupulous man will do for money, and what a desperate woman will do for status. Full of rich images, a myriad of characters, and lyrical language, The Drowning Girls is both breathtaking fantasia and social critique."

Vlaskalic and Graham met at the University of Alberta while completing their Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in acting. After graduating from the program in 1998, they teamed up with Charlie Tomlinson to create The Drowning Girls, the original version of which premiered at the 1999 Edmonton Fringe Festival. It was nominated for five Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards, and received four for Outstanding Production, Outstanding Director, Outstanding Actress and Outstanding New Play. This original version of The Drowning Girls went to the On the Waterfront Festival in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

In 2007, the writers approached Alberta Theatre Projects with their wish to revisit and reinvent the play. Bretta Gerecke (set and costume), Narda McCarroll (lighting) and Peter Moller (sound) became the production designers, and a new full-length version of the play was created. After its premiere at ATP's 2008 playRites festival in Calgary, Bent Out of Shape Productions produced a successful run at Edmonton's Catalyst Theatre. That year, the play received four Betty Mitchell Awards and was nominated for two Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards.

Tarragon Theatre brings the production to Toronto. After the run, The Drowning Girls will tour to Richmond (Gateway Theatre), Victoria (Belfry Theatre), Saskatoon (Persephone Theatre) and Edmonton (Citadel Theatre). Lindsay Marriner is stage manager.

For tickets and more information, call (416) 531-1827 or visit tarragontheatre.com.