Actor Luisa Jojic of Vancouver is highly enjoying her return to Theatre North West as part of Thy Neighbour's Wife story.
She plays an important role as Aisling, the hardworking housekeeper of Jennie Hawkes, who in 1915 in Alberta, was put on trial for murder and finds herself in a fight for her life to avoid death on the gallows.
"The characters in this play are just like life itself with joy, tears and humour and audiences will be able to relate to them. There is no good guy and bad guy, but it does show that people can behave strangely when they are pushed to the extreme,"Jojic said.
"This (court) case was a catalyst in Canada's history in the movement forward to acquire women's rights.
"This play by Tara Beagan is important to our history because it gives a voice to Jennie who, during her trial, was not allowed to tell her own story as she had lived it," said Jojic who is not only among three women who tell Jennie's story, but also narrates the play to the audience.
She said audience members will find little stories within the main story like that of her own character, an Irish immigrant, who must find her way in a new land.
"I had to learn the Irish dialect, so I taught it to myself through tapes and films."
Local audiences will remember Luisa from 2006 when she played roller-skating Audrey in Leading Ladies and Gloria in Powers and Gloria in the two plays done in repertory.
She works in film and television as well as on stage and has performed at Bard on the Beach and the Vancouver Playhouse. Her film credits include Love and Other Dilemmas and The Watergame.
The drama, which contains mature subject matter, is on at 8 p.m. Feb. 3 to 21 and two Sunday matinees are offered Feb. 14 and 21 at 2 p.m.
All tickets are $15 for the first showing Feb. 3. Regular tickets are $25 for adults and $23.50 for students and seniors weekdays and Sunday, and $27 for adults and $25 for students and seniors on Friday and Saturday. Tickets are available at Books and Co. or by calling 250-614-0039.
--btrick@pgcitizen
