Windblown / Rafales

As producer and scenographer of Knowhere Productions' latest performance event, I thought I would start be telling how the idea came to us for Windblown / Rafales. It might give you an idea of how we develop our work - which is devised and site-specific. Devised means that we don't necessarily begin with a text, although text is important. Our starting point is usually a physical location. We start with this and then add a number of other elements that contribute to the final event - in this case we added text, music, puppets and elements such as props and other scenic devises.

But first - how and when did we begin to think about the show in Ponteix? In the fall of 2007, just a year after our last major work, Crossfiring / Mama Wetotan, I received a phone call from Keith Heiberg, Parish Priest of Notre Dame D'Auvergne Church in Ponteix. He indicated that he was aware of Knowhere's work, having seen The Weyburn Project video of the production we did in the Weyburn Mental Hospital in 2002 on SCN. He asked if we would be interested in producing something for the Centennial Celebrations in Ponteix in July 2008. My immediate response was NO. We were still recovering from Crossfiring and the lead up time for 2008 was too short - we needed more time to put
funding in place. He was disappointed but asked us to think about it. After consultation with the other board members we agreed figuring that such an invitation would, at least, expedite the lengthy and often complicated process of getting to know the community. We were on board - but the community had to agree to the concept! A plan was then made to travel to Ponteix for a public meeting on July 14th 2007 - a full year before the event.

For the 4 board members who made the journey (Rory MacDonald, Andrew Houston, Melanie Bennett and I), this was our first trip to Ponteix and we were very excited and a bit daunted by this new opportunity. Father Keith arranged a evening for the community to come to hear our proposal. About 100 people showed up and we exchanged ideas, discussed the intricacies of site-specific theatre and met The Good Time Band - who entertained us with old French fiddle tunes. We decided that we would devise a production in the Church, the old hospital building, the Parish Hall and the land around. It was agreed that we would move ahead with our plans and for the next year Knowhere Productions, sought funding, made puppets, and worked with Regina-based composer, Linsay Stetner, and writer, Ken Wilson. Things started to come together.

Director, Houston and his collaborator, Bennett, brought other actors, Derek Lindman and Eugenie Ducatel, on board. At the end of June 2008 we all travelled to Ponteix to devise and rehearse the material for the piece. So many people in Ponteix have helped and are helping with this process. We have been housed and fed by generous community members and the school has opened its doors for us as a headquarters and a place where we can be accommodated as our numbers swell as the production date approaches. In the days leading up to the event, dancers, musicians, and artists will start to arrive who will also play an important role.
One last note - how did we get the name "Windblown" - it came to me in a dream!! I jotted it down on a piece of Kleenex by my bed and found it the next morning. Then I had it translated by Nicole Cote at the French Dept., University of Regina. The prairie wind blows hot and cold in Ponteix - it has, as times, ravaged the land - but it has also taught a hardy group of immigrants from France how to survive and flourish for a hundred years.
Kathleen.Irwin@uregina.ca