March 2015
Lady Cove embarked on a new artistic journey with the commission and subsequent production of choral theatre work “No Matter What”. The piece explores the strength and resilience of Newfoundland women of the past and present.
Composed by Jonathan Monro, the work was inspired by a David Blackwood etching given to his mother in commemoration of his birth: “Though the show is filled with many emotional layers, the women in the etching inspired me to explore one of the most extraordinary qualities of Newfoundland women: resilience.”
Directed by the incomparable, Danielle Irvine, Lady Cove’s Kellie Walsh had this to say about the experience: “The process has been one of significant growth and discovery. Monro has created a piece of choral theatre that celebrates the women of today, but has also made us look to the past, as part of the work is based on the resettlement of Bragg’s Island. One of my favourite memories of this project will be a visit I took with a few choir members to meet Reta and Len, the last couple married on Braggs Island. To hear them describe what living on Bragg’s island was like, and how they lived through resettlement.”
