Musical revue and multimedia show explores life on the west coast

Arts May 11, 2016

An event happening in town hopes to resonate in the hearts of anyone who loves British Columbia. Flotsam and Jetsam: Life on the West Coast, a musical revue and multimedia show produced by The Other Guys Theatre Company, explores the history of BC’s coast.

“We’ve been dealing with history and theatre, and creating theatre out of history for the last 12 years with the company,” says co-writer Ross Desprez. “[This time] we’re looking at the history of BC. We decided to just focus on the coastal area, so we started writing songs to try and turn the elements of BC history into folklore.”

The show features live instruments and newly created music set to the backdrop of a collage of historical imagery. Desprez says he considers the piece to be a happy story but promises both happy and sad moments. He says that he thinks it will be fun for everyone.

“There’s some sing-along elements to it,” says Desprez. “We like to try and get the audience involved. Folk music should be available and accessible to the audience, and with a good folk song you want to sing along to the chorus and memorize it.”

The Flotsam and Jetsam crew getting ready to sing the songs of BC (photo by Peter Pokorny).
The Flotsam and Jetsam crew getting ready to sing the songs of BC (photo by Peter Pokorny).

The team has put the entire performance together from scratch, and Desprez says that despite himself and co-writer Tobin Stokes being the main writing forces, the whole show is very much a big collaboration.

“I learned a long time ago, in this business, to surround yourself with talented people and trust them to do a lot of the work,” says Desprez. “Tobin and I write the music, but I have to say a lot of the orchestrations of this music come directly from the musicians that we’ve brought together.”

The cast and crew are made up of a variety of talented people who Desprez has worked with often. One of his performers, Colleen Eccleston, has lived in BC for 32 years but has been all across the country.

“It’s magnificent,” says Eccleston of BC. “I’ve lived all across Canada, and it is by far the most magnificent place; the nature of it, the variety of trees, the ocean, the colours, the birds, just the natural beauty of it is astonishing.”

Eccleston grew up partially in Newfoundland, and she says that what she loves about that province is all of the wonderful stories and local folklore. This gives her a slightly different perspective on BC.

“There’s a real history to the place,” says Eccleston about Newfoundland. “You grow up with a sense of that, and it’s really reflected in the music and the stories you hear. As a songwriter it’s weird because there isn’t that in BC. There is in native culture, but not so much in folk culture.”

Eccleston, who’s worked with Desprez and Stokes twice before, says that this particular performance will stay keenly focused on BC’s coast.

“This is more local stories; it doesn’t just focus on mining or focus on fishing,” says Eccelston. “There are romantic things, there’s tragedy, and there’s beautiful things. It’s diving into local history in a really cool way.”

The show’s subject matter covers many things—some fictional, some not. There’s reference to historical protests, fisheries, immigrant history, and many other pieces of BC, with a strong environmental message fused throughout.

“I think everybody will enjoy it,” says Eccleston. “The connection to the place will work for everybody. I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t enjoy it in some aspect. You’re not going to hear anything like it anywhere else.”

Desprez says that their main goal is to present BC history in a way that makes it interesting and memorable, and, at the same time, to explore folk music and create some new local legends.

“The most positive thing about doing these shows is that the public responds to them,” says Desprez. “People recognize themselves and their families. I think audiences really like to recognize their own history and see it presented and given relevance.”

Flotsam and Jetsam:
Life on the West Coast
May 19 to 29
$15-$25, Vic Theatre
otherguystheatre.ca