núna(now) will present the production of “Sargent & Victor” by Deb Patterson, in both Brandon and Winnipeg. This solo play is created from a series of interviews Patterson conducted with past and present residents of this iconic Winnipeg intersection. Sargent and Victor was the early urban settlement of immigrant Icelanders but has lately become an area known for gang violence and crime. Drawn to the area by a fascination with how neighbourhoods evolve, Patterson has created a series of monologues using only the words spoken by her interview subjects. The haunting narrative is infused with a potent honesty that comes from her capacity to touch difficult and often dark subject matter with humour and grace.
Patterson initiated this project as part of her role as Theatre Ambassador for Winnipeg’s Cultural Capital of Canada celebrations in 2010. She wanted to find a way to involved people who often have no contact with the arts in the creation of a play. She’s interviewed local professionals and businessmen, area residents, a delivery boy for Jakobson’s grocery store, a waitress from the Wevel Café, food bank clients, gangsters, kids at drop in programs – each with their own unique perspective on the strengths and challenges of this troubled area. The result is a troubling, yet hopeful, look at a community on the brink.
Sargent and Victor is produced with the generous support of the University of Winnipeg and the Manitoba Arts Council.