Programs
Radium Girls
A play by D.W. Gregory
A simple play provoked deep insights as Shawnigan presented Radium Girls in the Hugh Wilkinson Theatre.
Directed by Morgan McLeod and staged by Theatre Performance 11, Monday's two-show run gave audiences a window into a largely forgotten piece of American history.
The plot centres on a group of women as they suffer the effects of radium poisoning developed while painting the dials on the watches of the 1920s. For Grace Fryer, played by Megan G., the illness ravages her health as she battles the legal system, industry and her own family.
Of course, beyond remembering the trials of a forgotten group of women, the play also speaks to broader issues – issues of injustice, money, power and scientific enterprise. With minimalistic sets and a small cast, Shawnigan's presentation of Radium Girls allowed for a truly empathetic insight into different sides of a very human controversy.
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 West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
