All Newfoundlanders know the history of Joey Smallwood. He was the politician who brought the country of Newfoundland into confederation in 1949. As the rock’s leader of the Liberal Party, Smallwood became its first Premier and sat virtually unchallenged in that office for more than two decades.
A fictionalized version of his story is now on stage at The Grand Theatre. The Colony of Unrequited Dreams is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Wayne Johnston. If you’re thinking the life of a long-dead politician from another province is about as dry as store-bought beef jerky, you’re forgiven, but you’re mistaken.
Smallwood, the son of a boot-maker, pursued journalism, worked for a time in New York City and returned to Newfoundland to found newspapers and host a popular radio show called The Barrelman that brought, “Newfoundland to Newfoundlanders”. He propped up other politicians and finally realized his own dreams of a more prosperous Newfoundland for its fishermen and railway workers.
Ken and I had the playwright, Robert Chafe and star, Colin Furlong, on the show with us on Friday before Derek and I attended opening night. I’m going to stereotype Newfoundlanders here, admittedly, but there’s something warm and welcoming about every one I’ve ever met. The play is produced by a bold Newfoundland theatre company called Artistic Fraud. It has biting humour, great wit and the stage was almost constantly in motion – a relief for anyone who’s ever sat through a static performance featuring one man staring off into the distance while reciting a nineteen-paragraph monologue.
We loved it and without even noticing, learned about one of Canada’s most important figures. This year, for Canada’s 150th, The Colony of Unrequited Dreams has made stops in Ottawa and Halifax, and will be on stage at the Grand until April 8th. Here’s the trailer: