Saskatoon play tells stories of women displaced by war, famine

A new Saskatoon theatre production is exploring the stories of newcomers who fled dire circumstances to come to Canada.

Created by Natasha Martina and Sue Mythen, Displaced tells the stories of three immigrant women.

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In the play, Mary escapesIreland'sGreatFamine in 1847, Sofia leaveswar-torn Germany in 1947, and Dara flees Afghanistan and Taliban rulein 2007.

The play, presented by Live Five Independent Theatre, follows the characters through the struggles and pains of adapting to unfamiliar customs in their new home of Canada.

And then there were 3

Martina said the play started as a piece about the Irish GreatFamineand evolved.

"I thought, 'Well, why not open this story up a little bit further?'" she said.

"And then I thought, 'Well, if I'm going to go through two possible avenues of characters, why not bring it into the present day?'"

Martina's family has itsown story of immigration to Canada.

Her mother moved from Switzerland, her father from Austria and her godparents from Germany.

She said she grew up feeling like a Canadian with two different cultures supporting her.

"I was brought up very much in a European family but with Canadian principles and roots, and so I love that about how I was brought up," said Martina.

Moving boxes help tell story

The characters in her play each have very different stories but she said the play uses movement to connect them.

The setis made up ofmoving boxes, used to create different locations andtransport the audience to different places.

"You see sort of the common threads come in, like isolation, discrimination and cultural identity, having to adapt to unfamiliar customs as they come through this new land," she said.

Displaced runs at The Refinery at 609 Dufferin Ave. on Jan. 28 and 29, and from Feb. 2-5. Show times are at 8 p.m.from Thursday to Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

It is directed by Martina and features performances by Jacqueline Block, Anna Mazurik and Emma Laishram.