Nominated for Outstanding Production and Outstanding Direction
From 1992-1996, I was Associate Artist at Theatre Passe Muraille - Canada's oldest alternative theatre. When Susan Serran became the Artistic Producer she invited me and Ken McDougall to join her in leading the theatre. Over that first year, Ken sickened and died of AIDS, and I became pregnant for the first time. Colin Taylor took Ken’s position and joined our triumvirate. I wrote an essay about this period called ‘Moonwalk’.
As I worked with Susan, Ken and Colin on changing the theatre, I directed four shows: HEAD IN A BAG, THE STILLBORN LOVER, WEDDING DAY AT THE CROMAGNONS and (for Theatre Columbus ) STILL.
THE STILLBORN LOVER is a play by award-winning novelist and playwright Timothy Findley and is loosely based on real events. A Russian youth is found brutally murdered in a Moscow hotel room. The repercussions of this crime will unravel the past of respected career diplomat Harry Raymond as his wife loses her mind to Alzheimer's.
The legendary actor David Fox took the lead role, together with Marian Gilsenan..
Sue Lepage based her design on Frank Lloyd Wright’s building called Falling Water, which I visited only a few years ago. I'm so sorry I don't have a colour photograph of that set; it was stunning.
I treasure a letter from Timothy Findley in which he wrote… “to have found, in the same theatre, all the dedication, creativity and warmth with which you have treated both the play and the playwright is practically unique.”
My production was nominated for six Dora awards, including Outstanding Production and Outstanding Direction. Our lighting designer, Jim Plaxton, won the coveted award.
“‘Director Banuta Rubess is really not afraid of the play’s sexual as well as the political themes. … there’s a nice steamy ambiance that wafts in and out around all the cold diplomatic plotting…there’s also a tremendous score by Nic Gotham.”Critic Richard Ouzonian
