LL’s Paddle Down a River: Some Questions to Ask an Indigenous Play

Keywords:

• dramaturgy,
• land-based theatre,
• new-play development,
• artistic process

In 2007 I was introduced to Elinor Fuchs’ “EF’s Visit to a Small Planet: Some Questions to Ask a Play” (2004). Her work significantly influenced the way I understand and practise dramaturgy. It’s sixteen years later and I am still referencing the essay in my own work and assigning it in my courses. And so, I wanted to honour the impact it has had on me, while also sharing my thoughts on how it could be relevant for studying Indigenous theatre. Fuchs’ essay provides questions about the space, rules, tones, characters, and political order of plays in order to widen our perception and analysis of dramatic worlds. Using a small planet as a metaphor for a play, Fuchs asks readers to investigate worlds through question-based inquiry when developing or reading a play. The emphasis on “world building” in Fuchs’ piece is extremely relevant when trying to understand and practise dramaturgy. Thanks to this intentional world building process, play and performance texts can be experienced in a more impactful way by collaborators, readers, and audiences. In my dramaturgical practice, as we set out to world build, I often ask collaborators to identify, abstract, embody, and activate pieces of themselves to insert within the dramaturgical pillars of their process. Often, we end up with fragments of memories, stories, phrases or places as starting points. Mine is always the river. Since working largely with and for Indigenous theatre artists, I have come to realize that some of these small planets are home to Indigenous stories, characters, and experiences. However, there is a lack of specificity around how to read and understand the cultural offers made in play and performance texts. My intention with this piece is to share some questions I ask during new play development workshops, in classrooms and in rehearsals when reading or creating Indigenous work. With respect to the diverse cultural backgrounds of Indigenous playwrights and creators, I do not expect, nor wish for these questions to serve as a rigid roadmap to analyze any and all Indigenous plays. Instead, I hope it encourages folks to respectfully dive deep into the world of Indigenous plays in ways that best reflect who they are and where they come from. In homage to my many visits to small planets, let’s take a paddle down a river. I live on the Gatineau River and look at this body of water every day. I have realized that rivers are like planets in that they have their own ecosystems, inhabitants, cycles, and rules. Rivers can connect with both land and water, present as calm or dangerous, carry or block a journey, and form other relationships that we may not be able to see at first glance. I have come to see that rivers embody flow, textures, and stories. And because of this connection, I try to see the play as a river – as something always in motion, and with many twists and turns. I ask that you too try and see the play as a river. Is it narrow or wide? Straight or winding? Deep or shallow? Opaque or translucent? To help envision the world of the play, you might want to trace a river from your homelands, imagine one in your head, describe it to someone, or physically stand by the water. Visualizing this river in your mind might help you to picture the spatial realities of this world. As you approach the play as a river, take the time to look around and become aware of your surroundings. You’ll see that there are many ways to approach the water or world of …