Play retells events of Stanley trial without bias
The trial of Gerald Stanley for the killing of Colten Boushie was a landmark trial in Saskatchewan and it revealed the tension and distrust that exist in race relations in this province.
This trial focused the nation’s attention on the Battlefords and the surrounding First Nations. The racial character of the trial revealed a community in crisis, and reconciliation was but a distant dream.
This week and until Feb. 12, the play Reasonable Doubt will be performed at Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon. It highlights the trial and the feelings and attitudes of the people surrounding it.
The play was written by Joel Bernbaum. Writing a play on such a divisive and emotional subject required that the words come from the people themselves. He conducted an extensive series of interviews with people from the surrounding reserves, including Red Pheasant, where Boushie was living, and farmers, leaders in both communities and so-called ordinary people of all races.
The interviews were transcribed and along with the transcript of the trial were put together to form the body of the play. This journalistic approach provides an unbiased and thought-provoking look at the events leading to the killing, the trial that followed and the controversial verdict.
The actors perform the lines of the people interviewed, and as they speak, the first name and race of the individual is shown on a hide-like screen above them. A variety of people were interviewed, including First Nations, area settlers, both white and Indigenous urban people as well as recent immigrants. This requires the actors, who are a mixture of white, Metis and First Nations, to speak for their character, often with little or no time in between.
There is no typecasting and each actor portrays a variety of people. This illustrates the talent and range of the actors as they project the accents and emotions of the people who were interviewed.
The name Noel 20s Indigenous flashes on the screen as he speaks: “Saskatoon is fractured. It’s very um ... beautiful as a whole but there is this great line that goes down the centre of it, an-an bisects, uh, the community. And I mean it’s not only just the river, it’s the lines within our tribal understandings of who is in our-our-our village, who is in our community.”
The trial begins and the defence presents its case. Defense 50s Caucasian: “This is really not a murder case at all. This is a case about what can go terribly wrong when you create a situation which is really in the nature of a home invasion. For farm people, your yard is your castle.”
This statement resonates with the people of rural Saskatchewan, and it is the underlying theme throughout the trial.
The play segues from the trial to comments from the interviews. Mack 60s Indigenous: “The trial for the, Gerald Stanley for the killing of Col- Colten Boushie, was a defining event for this province. It brought the use of racism to stark reality and in the END … the province of Saskatchewan was the one on trial. Stanley may have walked free but the province was found guilty.”
With the skilful artistry of Lancelot Knight, the cast uses music to segue between scenes. Knight wrote and composed much of the words and music. Each actor plays an instrument and the interludes come from guitars, a violin and a piano; a ukulele is even used once.
Our story begins and ends with the symbolism of the eagle feather and how it stands for justice and the truth. At first, the jury asked about an individual holding the eagle feather in court; once explained, the judge continued with the trial and the eagle feather remained.
At the end, the eagle feather is held up and Lancelot speaks: “Truth. I was seeking truth. This is why I took the feather in there. Through the eagle, we pray for all people. No madder ... where they come from ... in all four directions ... this world here, we pray for … for humanity. We pray for life.”
I recommend people of all races see this play, but put your pride in one pocket and your prejudice in the other and open your mind.