4th Line Theatre 2024/Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes by Alison Lawrence, directed by Autumn Smith, Winslow Farm, Millbrook ON, closes July 20. Tickets here.
Do you know that in WW2, throughout Canada, upwards of 40,000 principally teenage ladies did farm work when the boys have been away? That’s the subject material of Alison Lawrence’s candy new play, Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes, now enjoying at 4th Line Theatre.
In actual fact, there have been 5 former Farmerettes in attendance opening night time who have been 95 to 100 years previous, and who acquired a rapturous response from the viewers.
When you have been between the ages of 16 and 21, and had excessive sufficient marks that you just didn’t have to jot down the June ultimate exams, you would enroll with Ontario Farm Service. Lawrence primarily based her play on the guide by Shirleyan English and Bonnie Sitter, who interviewed Farmerettes, and did intensive analysis into the phenomenon. A number of sections of the play are verbatim theatre rendered in choral talking. There are additionally many scenes the place we see the Farmerettes at work and at play.
![4th Line Theatre’s Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz (Photo courtesy of 4th Line](https://www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/Peach-Fuzz-1.jpg)
Lots of Peach Fuzz and Onion Skins additionally options letters, and 4th Line stalwart Justin Hiscox has written unique music to underpin the readings. The rating additionally contains songs of the interval sung by the Farmerettes. The stay band options Justin and Mark Hiscox (25 years with 4th Line), Cindy Babcock and Maria Con. Music has at all times been necessary at 4th Line and the Hiscox brothers have been answerable for most of it.
The forged options six younger girls, most of whom are both latest theatre college grads or presently in theatre college, which makes for a practical tackle the younger Farmerettes. The primary act, known as Peach Fuzz, is about in 1942 in Grimsby, and the second act, Onion Skins, takes place in 1945 in southwestern Ontario. Within the play, they are saying they’re in Thetford, however this system says Thorold. I at all times thought Thetford was in Quebec. The significance of the names of the acts denotes the more serious jobs. Peach fuzz causes rashes and itchiness, and peeling onion skins makes the women positively reek.
Within the first act we get camp life. Liz (Alicia Salvador), together with her annoying bell, is the camp secretary who does get up and curfew. We meet sisters Joan (Aimée Gordon) and Dot (Megan Murphy) from North Bay. Wealthy woman Jay is from Toronto, whereas Amalia (Carina Salajan) is a Czech refugee from a poor a part of New Toronto.
The predictable situation sees a conflict between Jay and Amalia, with the latter having some nice sarcastic one liners. Dramatic rigidity additionally comes from the information that Jay’s father is lacking in motion after Dieppe. We even have Reena Goze doing a pleasant flip because the farmer’s son Ted, who’s answerable for working with the Farmerettes as a result of not one of the previous palms will, and who kinds a relationship with Dot.
![4th Line Theatre’s Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz (Photo courtesy of 4th Line](https://www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/Peach-Fuzz-2.jpg)
Within the second act, Jay and Dot meet up once more, however we’re additionally launched to 2 Japanese ladies who’ve been relocated to Ontario from BC with their household and work on the farm. Lucy (Salvador) is the bitter one, whereas Sue (Goze) is extra inclined to be pleasant. New woman Nettie (Gordon), who’s from Lakefield, has lied about her age, being simply 15. She befriends the Japanese sisters in opposition to all prejudice. Salajan does a riotous flip because the mean-spirited prepare dinner Mrs. Franklin, and a difficult younger boy who harasses the women, like stealing a bra and throwing it up in a tree.
General the play is fairly simplistic and anticipated, however the younger girls within the forged make it work via the sheer drive of their energetic performances. There’s quite a lot of expertise in Peach Fuzz and Onion Skins, that’s for certain.
The 4th Line stage embraces each the barnyard house and the encompassing fields. Director Autumn Smith has carried out a improbable job transferring her forged up, down, and throughout the barns and the fields. The set contains some intelligent set items like benches for beds, and bins for clothes and sheets. The actors actually appear to be they’re working within the fields, and characters are sharply drawn. Costume designer Korin Cormier’s knee-length overalls are lovely, and naturally, we see the Farmerettes’ distinctive blue costume and cap uniforms.
4th Line Theatre solely places on Canadian performs, principally set inside Peterborough County and the Kawartha Lakes space. Staging Onion Skins & Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes has launched a forgotten and necessary piece of WW2 historical past on the house entrance. That’s why I like 4th Line Theatre. They mount performs about us.
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