Summer 2013 – Fairground Follies
An original work by Helen Weeden
Directed by Helen Weeden and Ian Glen
Presented in conjunction with The Carp Fair Board
This historical, and often hysterical, play was written and performed by The Rural Root Theatre Company in August, 2013 as part of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the Carp Fair – ‘The Best Little Fair in Canada’.
Proceeds from the event were donated to the Carp Fair, one of the most celebrated Fairs in the country – dating back to before Confederation.
There were a multitude of stories to tell, and Helen Weeden wove many of these together in a series of “vignettes” about the Fair and some of its “characters”.
The show told of the founding of the Fair in 1863, and included re-enactments of key events and portrayed many of the people that established the legacy, tradition and character of the Carp Fair.
For a list of all involved, take a look at the program!
The Show Venue
During early August, the interior of the Show Barn on the Carp Fair grounds was transformed:
– A special stage built from scratch and bordered by walls made of hay bales
– Above the stage, a slide-projection screen was installed to show a selection of photos from the Carp Fair archives, Huntley Historical Society archives and also from the book by Peg Blair ( see link below to ‘Carp Fair – History in the Making’)
– Three rows of chairs were located at floor level directly in front of the stage
– The main seating area was on a 26 seat wide, 10 row high bleacher that provided a great view of all the action on the stage
The following links take you to copies of newspaper articles courtesy of the West Carleton Review EMC:
Rural Root Theatre help Carp Fair celebrate 150 years
Outdoor theatre in Carp fun for young and old
These links show you front-page articles in the The Huntley Historical Society newsletter: