A Touching Tale Of Imagination, Sisterhood, And Dealing With Dark Places

This final production in a ground-breaking year for Geordie takes a closer look at what so many kids and teens have to deal with in their own lives—especially during the pandemic: a range of deep, unwanted emotions. And in a year filled with much improvisation, new approaches, and a whole lot of innovation, the powerful message of how to be a helper with kindness, compassion, and love shines through to the audience watching at home.

The play opens on Virginia Wolf (Jennifer Roberts) lying in bed, restless and overwhelmed by the street sounds invading through her window, and the annoyingly upbeat ring of her alarm clock, which she tries desperately to silence. Enter her sister Vanessa (Alexandra Laferrière), dressed in bright colours and carrying her bag of painting supplies, ready to help pull her sister out of the doldrums.

But Virginia is lost and confused, howling in frustration and anger as the room sinks lower and takes us down into the dark place she can’t seem to escape from. What follows is a journey of imagination as the sisters paint the perfect place—Bloomsbury—with trees and candy bushes and horses, and Vanessa extends patience and a whole lot of love to help pull her sister back up into the world.

This magnificent play is a great opportunity for families to connect, explore a wide range of feelings we don’t always have names for, and have kids open up about the places they find themselves howling about, too.