Three local women take on the roles of Canadian nurses stationed on the frontlines during World War I, in a staged reading of Bluebirds at Theatre NorthWest on International Women’s Day, Friday, March 8.
The play, written by Vern Thiessen, takes place in Etaples, France in 1918 and sees Nurse Gladys (Bab) Wake, Nurse Margaret (Maggie) Lowe and Nurse Katherine (Christy) McDonald discover their strength and resilience through friendship and duty.
“This play means a lot to me because I feel women’s accomplishment in history have been washed away and we don’t know anything about them and I found myself very surprised about this true story,” Sandra Clermont said, who plays Bab and is presenting the play.
“I never learned about this story in school. I never learned anything about the women that were part of war.”
Known as Bluebirds for their blue and white uniforms, the Nursing Sisters of Canada have a long and impactful history with Canada’s military forces.
According to Valour Canada, World War I (WWI) was revolutionized by the creation of casualty clearing stations and hospital ships. Nurses were stationed just behind front lines at military medical facilities to provide immediate treatment to the injured and wounded. Nursing Sisters working at Clearing Stations experienced much of the same conditions as soldiers found themselves in battle.
In the production on Theatre NorthWest's stage Nurse Maggie is played by Katherine Trepanier and Nurse Christy is played by Krista Dunlop.
These were real women working the front lines and whose faces were probably the last sight a soldier would see before they died of their war injuries, Clermont said.
“These nurses gave soldiers comfort, care and it’s really important to me, especially that Friday is International Women’s Day, that we highlight the heroism of women, she added.
“It’s about women’s friendship and how they bond and it’s also very serious – we are talking about battles, soldiers that die and what impact that had on these women,” Clermont said.
Tickets are $12 at the door or visit Bluebirds tickets at Theatre NorthWest.
