Ladner’s Tracy-Lynn Chernaske and Joe Hinks are tackling a site-specific show for Standing Room Only Theatre’s next production.
Chernaske, the director, describes The Weir by Conor McPherson as a roller coaster.
“It starts off light and funny and then it kind of dips down into this really dark place,” she says, adding it does end on a lighter note.
The play is set in a rural Irish town and revolves around four local men, one of whom owns a pub. One of the men brings Valerie, a newcomer to town, to the pub. The play explores their relationships with each other.
“Everyone, by the end of the play, kind of changes,” says Hinks, the assistant director and stage manager.
The play will be a part of two Celtic festivals next month — the Vancouver CelticFest and the White Rock Irish Festival. It will be staged at two Vancouver pubs and another in White Rock.
“Each space is different. They’re very eclectic spaces. They’ve each got their own charm,” says Hinks.
The audience will get to be up close and personal to the performance, he notes.
“The actors will literally be walking in amongst the tables. The audience can actually have their drinks in the pub as they watch the performance all around them. It should be fun.”
Chernaske is doing some fundraising for the production by selling homemade small-batch artisan tea. She’s created a specialty black tea called Blackberry Whiskey Marmalade for the fundraiser. It includes blackberries, whiskey, honey and a little bit of thistle and has an English breakfast tea base, she says.
It is available at https://www.etsy.com/listing/216514653/blackberry-whiskey-marmalade-tea.
The Weir runs March 7 to 15 at various pubs. Tickets are $17. For tickets visit standingroomonlytheatre.org.
