‘Canada, It’s Complicated’
New comedy show will tell the story of Canada as it is and as it might one day be
Mary Walsh takes new show on the road
With the wind blowing on Signal Hill, MP and former CTV morning host Seamus O’regan and comedian, actor and writer Mary Walsh stood at a podium in front of a large Canada 150 sign Thursday to announce the “Canada, It’s Complicated” national tour.
The show, which is being rehearsed in Newfoundland and will open Sept. 3 in Goose Bay, Labrador, will tell the story of Canada as it is now and how it will be in the future through comedic sketches and musical satire.
“I am delighted that the
‘Canada, It’s Complicated’ tour is providing a unique opportunity to come together and highlight our rich culture,” O’regan said.
Walsh said she was inspired to create the show by John Ralston Saul’s book “A Fair Country: Telling Truths About Canada” in which he describes Canada as a Métis nation.
“Much of our thinking is inspired by first nations’ thinking and he suggests that we should go to Poundmaker and Tecumseh instead of the Greeks when we’re looking for wisdom,” Walsh said. “In 12-step programs, they have a fourth step where you kind of face who you really are, and then you can go on and live as opposed to always being in denial about who you are. And in a sense that’s what the inspiration for the show is.”
The federal government is providing $1 million in funding for the “Canada, It’s Complicated” tour through Canadian Heritage’s Canada 150 Fund.
“Arts, culture and heritage organizations are an integral part of every community,” Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly said. “As we celebrate Canada 150, our government is proud to support the ‘Canada, It’s Complicated’ tour, which promotes arts and culture and showcases our diversity. 2017 is going to be a memorable year, and the Atlantic provinces are a big part of it.”
The creation of “Canada, It’s Complicated” has brought together writers from across the country, including awardwinning novelist Thomas King, Montreal comedian Derek Seguin, “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” writer Mike Allison of Halifax and many others hailing from across the country.
“I’m thrilled to be working on such an exciting project with some of this country’s top writers,” said Walsh, director and co-producer of the show and tour. “We’re putting together a show that will be performed right across Canada — in the east, west, north and south, in communities both rural and urban. It will shine the spotlight on talented comedy, music and theatre artists in a state-of-the-art multimedia production that takes an affectionately satirical look at our country today, as we mark 150.”
The cast brings together young performers from across the country that displays a wide array of cultural backgrounds and represents Canada’s mosaic culture.
As the tour crosses the country they will accumulate film from each region of performances and local residents. This multimedia element will also be taken to schools, where students will have the chance to participate in workshops and present their own versions of “Canada, It’s Complicated.” The footage will be posted online to create a living legacy.