NORTH RUSTICO, P.E.I. — A story inspired by an Island tragedy is coming to Watermark Theatre in North Rustico.
Tuesdays and Sundays is based on the lives of William Millman, 18, and Mary Tuplin, 16. The play follows them from their first meeting at a social on New Year’s Eve in 1886 to their first date and then moves to a Sunday in June 1887 in Margate when they had planned to meet to discuss something important. On the following Tuesday, Tuplin disappeared into the dusk, along with the baby she was carrying.
When they found Mary’s body a few days later, it was discovered she was six months pregnant, said Rebecca Parent, who will direct the show.
“The person the community suspected of being the father of the child, William Millman, went to trial and was ultimately hung for the murder."
The P.E.I. story was written by Canadian playwrights Daniel Arnold and Medina Hahn. It has toured the world, but this will be the first time it will appear on a P.E.I. stage.
Jacob Hemphill and Melissa MacKenzie portray Millman and Tuplin. They are the same actors who were set to play the lead roles this past summer in Anne and Gilbert – The Musical before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down theatres.
Parent said Millman isn’t portrayed as a villain in the story.
“He is portrayed as a human," she said. “It delves into the humanity of a person who makes the worst possible choice and how he gets there."
The story deals with the circumstances where a person would be faced with such a tragic choice. Parent feels the story material parallels today’s world.
“Teen pregnancy is still a thing. Domestic abuse is still a thing. Intimate partner violence is absolutely, 100 per cent, a thing. In particular, during COVID, people are stuck at home and can’t escape their partners."
She said it’s about the realities of “our communities and to get people talking about these situations".
MacKenzie said the story is haunting, romantic, complicated and human all at the same time.
“This is an Island story," MacKenzie said. “These are stories of ... young women that we need to address as a community."
Hemphill said he is approaching his role with a big sense of responsibility to the Tuplin and Millman families on P.E.I.
“Everybody has secrets, everybody makes bad decisions, everybody has impulses," Hemphill said. “From that, I can draw that this character is 100 per cent a normal human being who is doing things for selfish reasons – out of fear."
MacKenzie said it’s great to be talking about live theatre again, even though the COVID-19 pandemic is still happening.
“My friends can’t even see each other in Toronto, and here we are inviting people to come see a show," MacKenzie said. “It’s such a privilege, one that we’re not trying to take for granted. We do want to celebrate the fact that we are in this safe, small intimate part of the country where (live theatre) is allowed. It would be foolish to not take advantage of it when we can."
Tuesdays and Sundays will take the stage, Nov. 11-15 and Nov. 21-22. All seven shows have sold out. The actors say that’s proof that audiences are starving for content.
Due to public health restrictions, the Watermark Theatre is operating with a reduced capacity for this show. The normal capacity of the theatre is about 118 seats. The maximum capacity for Tuesdays and Sundays will be 36 people per show.
Some information about the creative team with Tuesdays and Sundays:
Melissa MacKenzie (playing Mary Tuplin)
- Favourite snack before performances: Spinach salad or a power ball from Receiver Coffee.
- Favourte musicians: Begonia, Lianne La Havas, Brielle Ansems.
- Favourite colour: Red, but it depends on the day.
- Favourite book: Know My Name by Chanel Miller; Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit.
- Five things to take to rehearsal: Pencils, water bottle, coffee, scrunchie, joy.
Jacob Hemphill (playing William Millman)
- Favourite snacks before performance: Beet salad.
- Favourite musicians: Logan Richard, Lawrence Maxwell, Brielle Ansems.
- Favourite colour: Yellow.
- Favourite book: Respect for Acting.
- Five things to take rehearsal: Coffee, water bottle, pencil, script, laptop.
Rebecca Parent (director)
- Favourite snacks before show: Salad with protein
- Favourite book: Odd Thomas, Dean Koontz.
- Favourite music: Can't choose.
- Favourite colour: Purple.
- Five things to take to rehearsal: Water, a rested head, a pencil, a snack, a willingness to play.
Dave Stewart is the culture reporter for The Guardian.
