A macabre crime saga will play out on the Legacy Centre stage on the weekend before Halloween.
The 1946 events which led to the subsequent trial of Evelyn Dick from Hamilton, Ontario is the material for the play How Could You Mrs. Dick. It’s narrated by two journalists as the actors go through their paces.
While Evelyn was found guilty of murdering her husband, she won her appeal but was subsequently convicted of the murder of her infant son. Years later she was exonerated, had her name changed, and disappeared from the public record.
The cast for the Lloydminster Little Theatre production includes some seasoned local actors and returning members comprising five men and three women, along with a stage manager.
Director Cornelius Krahn shares his reason for bringing what was called the Torso murder to life on the Legacy Centre stage.
“It’s timely for the season that we are in; the Halloween, macabre season. It’s also a slight departure from what we normally do with the Lloydminster Little Theatre. We do heartfelt shows, but also have a lot of comedy in our shows, where this is more of a drama. So, it’s a bit more of a challenge.”
The audience will have to hold on to its thinking caps as the story does not follow the timeline but jumps along with the drama unfolding not just on the stage, but on the floor in touching distance of the front row. The Lloydminster Little Theatre grew out of the Vic Juba Community players.
One of the issues the writer, Douglas Rodger raises is the urge to climb up society’s ladder by any means necessary. In looking for parallels, Krahn says all good art is timely in reflecting both current society, the time in which it was written, and the time in which it is performed.
“Part of what he is saying, in my opinion, is there are some people who will go to any lengths (to advance in society), and that could include asking their children to do things that they are uncomfortable with maybe themselves, but because it’s a parent asking them to do it, they do it.”
Krahn concludes the community production will be different from what people are accustomed to seeing in Lloydminster.
“I think it’s going to be worth it artistically and it’s going to be worth it to support community theatre. We’ve got sponsors and actors from the community.”
Tickets are available at the Legacy Centre for the shows which run Friday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Oct 28 at 7 p.m. with a matinee show on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. The production is part of the Arts Without Borders festival.
Editor’s note: The writer of this story is an actor in the production.
