The official website of the Canadian playwright David French, author of many award-winning plays including Leaving Home, Of The Fields Lately, Salt-Water Moon, and Jitters.
In January, Salt-Water Moon will open at the award-winning Finborough Theatre in London, England, a co-production between Finborough and Cumulus Productions. Peter Kavanagh directs Bryony Miller as Mary, and Joseph Potter as Jacob.
Peter Kavanagh is renowned for his work across a variety of media: theatre, film, television, and radio. His recent work includes productions of Cyanide at 5 by Czech playwright Pavel Kohout, and the 40th anniversary production of Not Quite Jerusalem by Paul Kember.
Director Peter Kavanagh
Bryony Miller is a theatre and film actor whose recent credits include Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and the Netflix adaptation of Rebecca. Joseph Potter is a film and theatre actor who recently starred in Philip Ridley’s The Poltergeist onstage. Potter plays “Roy” in the hit film My Policeman.
Actors Bryony Miller and Joseph Potter
The show runs from January 3–28, 2023. Get your tickets now, as they’re sure to go quickly!
Mary and I arrived in beautiful PEI last week and were delighted to discover that the King’s Playhouse in Georgetown is presenting Salt-Water Moon on Sunday evenings throughout the summer. We’re looking forward to seeing it! Here’s their charming graphic, and a link to their website.
I was lucky enough to be at the 2016 Dora Mavor Moore awards, thanks to my friend Byron Bellows, who is a trustee of the Bluma Appel Community Trust. It was a lovely night, with the ceremony happening at the outdoor theatre at Harbourfront. Great fun to see so many familiar faces and so much style!
I was especially pleased to be present as Ravi Jain won the Best Director Award for his production of Salt-Water Moon at Factory. Congratulations to Ravi and to the whole creative team of the show!
This year Mary and I had a spring to remember. Soulpepper brought back its brilliant production of Jitters, and we were privileged to sit in on the first reading. Ted Dykstra’s direction and the wonderful ensemble cast kept audiences roaring with laughter for most of March and April. Jitters was the last play that David saw performed, and the 2010 opening night at the Young Centre was the last one he ever attended. It seemed strange to be at this spring’s opening without him, but I know how happy he would have been to know that Jitters was running again.
In addition, Factory Theatre gave Salt-Water Moon an imaginative and non-realistic production directed by Ravi Jain. With only the words of the play (plus a little music and a lot of votive candles) Mayko Nguyen and Kawa Ada created magic. The play has been nominated for four Dora Mavor Moore Awards, including Best Production and Best Director.
In addition, the Peterborough Theatre Guild produced Of the Fields, Lately as its entry for the EODL Festival, and the Scarborough Players presented 1949! March might as well have been declared “David French Month” in Ontario. Here’s a link to an excellent article in the Peterborough Examiner that talks about the phenomenon.
Sadly, I wasn’t able to get to Peterborough to see Of the Fields, but Leslie and Mary and I saw the other three plays. In fact, I saw both Jitters and Salt-Water Moon several times each. Many of David’s nieces and nephews (and grand-nieces and grand-nephews) came to see the plays also. My parents came to visit from Saskatchewan and went to see Jitters with Mary and I one night, which was extra special.
A big thank you to everyone who worked on these wonderful shows. We send you our gratitude and love!
Some cast members of the Scarborough Players’ production of 1949.
Reviews are rolling in for the production of Salt-Water Moon at Factory Theatre in Toronto, and they are raves! Click on the links to read the articles:
