news | Wednesday August 18, 2010

The Book of Esther

The Book of Esther by Leanna Brodie is currently running at the Blyth Festival. This epic story tackles issues of faith, farming and sexuality with a refreshingly frank approach.

Set in the early 1980s, stoic Seth Dalzell is struggling to hold onto his Century Farm in the rural community of Baker’s Creek. His devoutly evangelical wife, Anthea, is struggling to keep her family intact. Todd is a middle-aged pillar of the gay community, living in Parkdale and providing shelter for homeless youth. And A.D. is a teenage hustler, happiest when he’s raising Cain. What do they all have in common? Esther Dalzell. She is fifteen years old and she has just run away from home.

“This is a play about running away and the overwhelming urge to escape our problems, instead of dealing with them head on,” says Artistic Director Eric Coates. “It tackles some big issues, but it does so in a very balanced way.”

The Book of Esther is Brodie’s second premiere at the Blyth Festival. Her critically acclaimed Schoolhouse premiered as a sold-out hit in 2006.

The Book of Esther plays at the Blyth Festival in repertory until September 4.