Say ‘I Do’ to Caravan Farm Theatre’s The Bear and the Proposal 

Turn off Netflix and stop shipping who will next get it on on Bridgerton and head on over to Spallumcheen’s Caravan Farm Theatre, where you will not only get a history lesson but a belly full of laughs. 

The outdoor theatre’s new summer production, The Bear and the Proposal, manages to weave two of Anton Chekhov’s one-act plays with interesting chapters of Okanagan-Suknaqinx history plus mostly Canadian pop tunes in a wacky, farcical way. Let’s call it the Caravan way. 

Where else will you find a twitchy settler known as William Brent singing and dancing to The Weeknd. Intrigued? You should be. 

Caravan director Estelle Shook, with the help of advisor Dr. Bill Cohen and the book Okanagan Women’s Voices, Syilx and settler writing and relations, 1870s to 1960s, edited by Jeanette Armstrong, Lally Grauer and Jane Armstrong, adapted the Chekhov script to bring real Okanagan-Syilx characters to life. 

Early in the play in the theatre-in-the-round horse stable, we are introduced to storyteller Emma Hutchy (played by the extremely engaging Jani Lauzon), whose father was a Xaxli’p (formerly Fountain) Chief near what is now Lillooet. She roams in and out of the play with her inherent wisdom, gorgeous voice, especially when singing Willie Dunn, and perfectly placed side eye. 

As we walk to the stands in the nearby field, the moon slivered perfectly as the backdrop of the rustic distressed wood set, we are taken back to a time when settler-Indigenous relations took a bit of a turn in the Okanagan – mostly when white male settlers married Indigenous women, and in turn claimed huge chunks of land – go figure. 

Along with being apprised of some of these real-life characters’ contributions, the play also peppers in stories that tell us how colonization affected Indigenous populations. A case in point is when we are told of Joseph Trutch, who became BC’s Chief Commissioner of Land and Works and eventually reduced the reserve land “given” to Indigenous peoples by 91 percent. 

And while The Bear and The Proposal does not gloss over this history, the idea also is to entertain. Hence, the show gets rather silly, so hold on to your hats for the wild ride. 

The First Act, The Bear, set in 1869 sees a tumultuous relationship develop between not-that-recently widowed Princeton settler Susan Allison and bear hunter Tatlehasket, “The Man Who Stands High.” 

Played by Kristi Hansen, who has a voice-of-an-angel and quick-witted timing to boot, and the formidable Sheldon Elter, back at Caravan after his excellent turn in last year’s Every Brilliant Thing, the two meet when Tatlehasket attempts to collect a debt owed to him by Allison’s late husband John, who as it turned out was previously married to Nora Yacumtetum, niece of Chief Quiniscoe. 

The back-and-forth arguing between Allison and Tatlehasket releases the angry then lovesick Bear, whose transformation is worth the price of admission alone, as is the rendition of Alanis Morrisette’s One Hand in My Pocket! I wonder what the ancestors would think about all this?! 

It should also be mentioned that Allison in real life later became the first woman to write a memoir that included many accounts of the Similamix and Smelqmix (Silmilkameen) and Syilx people. 

In the second act, we meet Charles Frederick Houghton (Kevin Bundy, in perfect Irish lilt) who pre-empted land on Coldstream Creek that would later become Coldstream Ranch and also claimed land at Head of the Lake. His marriage to Chief N’kwala’s daughter Sophie resulted in two children. Their second eldest daughter, Marie, would eventually marry a white settler named William Brent. 

From the look of it on paper, Houghton and Brent’s union seemed to be happy. But it does not seem that way at the start when Brent –all nervous ticks and heart palpitations– shows up at the Houghtons’ door for a visit. Played by Ryan Beil, a master of physical comedy who has the best monotone voice since Lou Reed, and Amanda Trapp, who sings like a bird and is a pretty damn good autoharpist to boot, their ensuing argument results in, you guessed it, The Proposal. However, with all that pent-up frustration, it sure takes them a while to profess their love. At one point, I wanted to shout, “Just get on with it!” 

As with all Caravan plays, no talent is wasted here. Pulling off double duty are all the actors who sing and perform in the accompanying band, along with the musical director and fiddler extraordinaire Ajineen Sagal. The music is fun and very Bridgertonesque. Who doesn’t love watching people in period costumes pull off Avril Lavigne’s Complicated? 

To everyone involved, we thank you for sharing your captikʷł stories on this beautiful tmxʷulaxʷ land. 

The Proposal and the Bear continues at Caravan Farm Theatre until Aug. 4. Tickets and information can be found at www.caravanfarmtheatre.com. 

Written by Kristin Froneman on the unceded ancestral lands of the Syilx-Okanagan People. 

SPECIAL PANEL & PICNIC with SCHOLARS JEANNETTE ARMSTRONG LALLY GRAUER & JANET MACARTHUR

SUNDAY JULY 21 at 5pm at Caravan Farm Theatre

We are thrilled to present a panel featuring Drs. Jeanette Armstrong,  Lally Grauer and Janet MacArthur, the editors of  OKANAGAN WOMEN’S VOICES Syilx and Settler Writing and Relations 1870’s-1960’s.

Join us for a picnic dinner and panel discussion on their research and scholarship of Syilx and Settler relations as explored in their wonderful historical compendium – a book which was a major inspiration for the adaptation of our summer show.

Bring your own picnic or purchase from our concession. A selection of sandwiches will be available. Make it a day!

5pm ~ Panel

6:00 Picnic

7:30pm ~ Performance

9:30Pm ~ Post show chat with the Performers

By ANTON CHEKHOV

Adapted & Directed by ESTELLE SHOOK

Cultural Consultation BILL COHEN

With Musical Direction & Arrangement & Fiddle playing by AJINEEN SAGAL

Set Design by VICTORIA WALLACE

Costume Design by CARMEN ALATORRE

Lighting Design by JILLAN WHITE

Dramaturgy by VICKI STROICH

Stage Managed by ALLISON SPEARIN

Assistant Stage Manager HANNAH ABBEY

Starring

RYAN BEIL, KEVIN BUNDY, SHELDON ELTER, KRISTI HANSEN,  JANI LAUZON, RENAE MORRISEAU, AMANDA TRAPP

We are proud to serve an array of locally sourced food and beverages:

CRANNOG ALES (Backhand of God, Red Branch)$7

ARROWLEAF WINES FIELD SELECTION (Red & White) $7

MONTE LAKE (Cab Franc) $10

FARMING KARMA COCKTAILS (with or without vodka) $5/$10

FARMING KARMA SODAS $3

HOUSEMADE BLACKCURRENT LEMONADE (with or without vodka) $5/$10

RANCHO VIGNOLA ASSORTED SNACKS $5

HELMUTS DRY PEPPERONI $8

POPCORN $3

RAIN OR SHINE

SUMMER SHOW COMFORT TIPS

• The show lasts approximately 2 hours with one 15-minute intermission.
• It cools off at night so be sure to bring warm clothes.
• We have a licensed concession with beer, wine, coffee and snacks. Bring cash!
• We have heated, wheelchair accessible washrooms.
• Mobility parking is located at the end of the parking lot closest to the box office booth and is marked with blue signs.
• Caravan Farm Theatre is located in the countryside North-West of Armstrong. Please factor this into your driving time. If you have not visited before, we recommend that you print out a map and have it with you when you drive.
• Shows will not be held for latecomers.
• Dogs are not permitted at shows.  Please leave them at home rather than in your car.