A peek at 5th annual Serca Festival of Irish Theatre

It’s hard to say what an ideal Irish theatre festival would be like, especially since North Americans have been brainwashed by green beer and Disney-esque lilting leprechauns.

However, when the fifth annual Serca Festival of Irish Theatre rolled out its five-day itinerary for March 17-21, it presented a gratifying cocktail including a homespun pub ceilidh, three ambitious theatre tales and high-energy children’s entertainment.

Of the three major dramatic stories, Theatre Prospero presents Finn McCool and the Salmon of Wisdom and Other Tales, a peek at the legendary thumb-sucking Irish warrior giant.

Trunk Theatre introduces Airswimming, a sad, poignant and at times humorous tale of two women institutionalized for 48 years after having borne children out of wedlock.

And Blarney Production’s offering is The Good Thief, a one-man show about a Dublin lowlife whose last job goes terribly wrong.

Serca founder Mark Henderson launched the festival as a way to reclaim his heritage and pay tribute to a nation whose contribution to the world was more than shamrocks and the blarney stone.

“All this came about because I was frustrated with my background. I had been told I had an Irish granny, but she spoke like the Queen and was born in Alberta. My grandfather was born in Ireland, but never spoke like anyone I knew. And no one I knew ever spoke like the Irish Spring commercials,” said Henderson.

As artistic director of Theatre Prospero, a company that produces high-level Shakespearean plays and other classics such as Nicholas Nickleby, The Bacchae and The Second Shepherd’s Play, Henderson injected English repertoire into the community.

But his true passion lay in Irish theatre.

“And I thought wouldn’t it be nice to celebrate the music, dance, mythology, literature and drama of Ireland. How many unsung contributions in the world of Irish literature are there?” he asked.

It was this desire to share a culture boasting a strong oral tradition that made Serca the go-to source of Irish Theatre in the capital region.

The festival starts at Alberta Avenue Community League on Thursday, St. Patrick’s Day, with a welcoming ceilidh, a traditional gathering of neighbours to share music, poetry, yarns, food and drink.

Musicians Jeremiah McDade, his sister Shannon Johnson and Maria Dunn, while keeping an eye to music’s past and future, present an evening of lively Celtic dance tempos.

Henderson and renowned director Jim Defelice and University of Alberta professor David Ley add to the mix reciting poetry and telling stories.

And the award-winning McElhatton Irish Dancers tap up a frenzy of fun by getting everyone up on their feet for a lesson.

On Friday night, playwright Charlotte Jones’ Airswimming kicks off the play series. Directed by Amy Defelice, the two-hander stars Kendra Connor and St. Albert’s own Jenny McKillop.

In Airswimming, two women give birth and are punished and separated from their families for 48 years. Defelice explains that the title comes from a fantasy game they play.

“The title is an image of freedom and they create this game to save themselves. They create an imaginary word where they swim in the air.”

Persephone (McKillop) is a young girl from high society seduced by her father’s friend. McKillop describes her as “spunky, a bit petulant but sweet and naÄ‚Ĺ»ve,” and she is obsessed with Doris Day.

Dora (Connor) on the other hand has an edgier personality. She is preoccupied with strong women in the military and admires figures such as St. Joan who made a mark in the world.

The only time the women get to talk is one hour a day while polishing. The rest is spent in silence toiling in forced slavery.

Defelice added, “The sad thing about these institutions is that they didn’t shut down until the 1990s.”

Conor McPherson’s The Good Thief, a huge hit at Serca’s inaugural festival, returns under Wayne Paquette’s direction and Frank Zotter’s tour-de-force performance.

“It’s an amazing struggle between light and darkness. Essentially it’s about a guy who tells his story, no tricks, and under a light bulb,” Henderson said.

The protagonist is a rough enforcer, one unafraid to break fingers. His job is to scare others. But when a routine job turns into a gun battle and several people die, he goes on the run. His employer wants to eliminate him and the cops are looking to charge him with murder and kidnapping.

Henderson explains that The Good Thief, despite its messy darkness, is filled with suspense, humour and moments of quiet reflection.

“Frank is about creating the emotional reality of a story by making the reality as he tells it, and in this way invites the audience in. It appears effortless, beautiful and complete.”

And the third play, Finn McCool and the Salmon of Wisdom and Other Tales, is written and directed by Sterling nominated Edmonton playwright Jennifer Spencer.

Stickhandling the multiple characters is former St. Albert theatre instructor Candice Fiorentino and St. Albert Children’s Theatre alumnus Luc Tellier.

Finn McCool may be a great brawny Irish warrior, but when God passed out brains, he shortchanged the giant. To fight off an invading Scottish giant, Finn needs to find the magical salmon of wisdom. Whoever is the first person to catch, cook and taste the fish becomes the wisest person in Ireland.

“It’s basically two actors, a ladder and miniature cows. It’s from the old-fashioned school of theatre with a lot of trickery involved,” said Henderson.

And on Saturday and Sunday, the festival includes a McCool Kids’ Ceilidh Party. In this blast of energy and playfulness, dancers from the Mattierin School of Irish Dance invite families to watch some amazing footwork and learn a spirited Irish tune.

“At first I wanted the festival to be about great Irish theatre, but last year when Maralyn Ryan produced Princess Fiona and the Leprechaun, I realized the process of understanding Irish culture cannot be complete without exposing children to it. It de-snobbified me a lot and made me realize that the traditional notions of Irish culture include children.”

All events will be held either at the Alberta Avenue Community League or the Nina Haggerty Centre. For a complete list of events and times visit sercafest.com.