News Archive
Challenged by W;t
An intimate theatre experience
A moving piece of theatre prompted tears and standing ovations in this weekend's senior student performance of Wit.
Set in a university hospital as the main character, Dr. Vivian Bearing, faces the cancer that will soon take her life, this Margaret Edson play took an inspired new direction in Shawnigan's nuanced production.
The minimalistic set allowed Edson's sharp and elegant dialogue to resonate, as the characters struggled with the conflicts between the clinical and the humane, between knowledge and intelligence, and between life and quality of life.
Featuring a strong supporting cast, director Morgan McLeod shrewdly split the lead role between Sydney L. and Carly G. The resulting partnership was seamless, and impelled the audience to share in Dr. Bearing's emotional transformation.
Intimate and heartrending, the play flowed steadily towards an intense climax while at the same time offering moments of humour and grace.
A deeply provocative theatre experience, Wit served as a perfect curtain call for some of Shawnigan's most talented graduating performers.
– Jon Zacks
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
