聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Vincent Murphy a Regina based performer and playwright was welcomed to Carlyle on Saturday, Nov. 7, to perform his original piece, 鈥淭ommy Goes to War.鈥� Sponsored by The Royal Canadian Legion Carlyle Branch approximately 70 people stopped by for dinner and the performance.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Murphy was inspired to create the show in an effort to remember and appreciate people who have served, serve, and will serve the country. Specifically the inspiration came from his uncles who served during World War I.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The performance begins with a Canadian expeditionary forces recruiting officer. Making the war sound like it will be over quickly and is a great adventure for young, prairie boys. Murphy calls to the crowd as if they're his prospective soldiers, encouraging them to sign up. Pay of $1.10 a day, a uniform, and a chance to travel are made to sound as though they're too good to pass up.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚magine 101 years ago Canada was a vibrant nation, but a very young nation, we were just putting our building blocks together,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淲e are caught up in the patriotic fever of the time.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The story changes narrators as Murphy changes characters, reading about a young girl's memories of her brother heading off to war. The family doesn't want the young men to leave, to wait until after harvest.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Next we meet a British general speaking to his newly arrived Canadian troops, who encourages them to fight hard and be strong for Canada and the British Empire.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The play flash forwards to 1921, it's three years after The Great War and Tommy sits down for a cup of coffee with a friend. Murphy then speaks to the audience as if they were that friend. The scene impacts the audience as Murphy describes his return home from the war to a family that didn't recognize him. Showing how war changes people, in his humorous and yet heart-wrenching dialogue.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Murphy seamlessly transforms himself into an 82-year-old Tommy speaking to a friend on the phone. Although they begin discussing a fellow veteran's funeral, the dialogue, again although speckled with hilarity, changes into a somber discussion between two veterans. Although we only hear Tommy's part of the conversation, we see his use of humour to mask his pain and the strength he must delve into as he speaks to his friend telling him he'll see him tomorrow.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As the performance concludes we are left thinking about Tommy and all of the other veterans who have served Canada. Not wanting to talk about the war and yet battling the memories, still, every day.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淔ollowing the war and all that personal tragic loss the Canadian stood firm in their hopes that this would be never again, well it was not the war to end all wars,鈥� Murphy explained. 鈥淓ven here 100 years later our nation we are a nation more diverse in our nature, in our culture, and sometimes I wonder in this world full of wars and destruction and persecution and wonder if countries were to stop and take a breath, to look over the horizon to this country of ours and say how do they do that, how do they get along? And we have our arguments, we have our disagreements, but we just get along as neighbours would.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚n conclusion a heartfelt thanks and appreciation to those who have served, serve, and will be serving, to preserve or establish freedom in whatever way they can and in that the going down of the sun and in the morning 'We will remember them.'鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He continued, explaining, 鈥淓veryday we should carry a sense of appreciation. Here in Canada a few days ago, in Rideau Hall following a day of peaceful elections across this vast land, a ceremony changed the government of this country. Whatever your political stripe is I don't care, the fact is in this wonderful land that we have, without any commotion there was a change of government and that indicates the power we have as a people. People can simply just learn to get along.鈥�
