The Mossbank and District Museum and the Mossbank Library co-hosted an unique Live History event on September 16. The museum was approached by the library about hosting the event together as a fundraiser and it turned out to be very successful.
The interactive play called Mary’s Odyssey put on by the Live History theatre company performs plays in historical buildings. The unique twist is that the playwright adapts the play to the particular location where they are performing. In this case, the play took place at the Mossbank museum using three of its buildings on the museum site – the schoolhouse, the blacksmith shop and the house. The play incorporated details about the former owners of the historic building with references made to the Ambrose house and blacksmith shop.
The play also was interactive and involved the audience. The plot was set back in time to the early 1940s. A young maid, Mary, takes the audience on a tour of the historic house. She asks the audience to help her solve a long-hidden mystery, leading to a treasure. Members of the audience participated as little or as much as they wished.
The audience followed Mary as she moved through the buildings looking for clues. Although the lead character asked the audience to help her hunt for clues, they were respectful of the building and brought their own props, such as the broken dish.
The idea behind the live history production is to journey back to a time when a historical site was alive. The theatre recreates that period and draws in the audience to participate. The theatre company can adapt and perform a play in any historical setting. They also research the site before the performance to be able to include the historical details.
