Marie Clements Libri

The Unnatural and Accidental Women is a surrealist dramatization of a thirty-year murder case involving many mysterious deaths in the “Skid Row” area of Vancouver. All the victims were found dead with a blood-alcohol reading far beyond safe levels, and all were last seen in the company of Gilbert Paul Jordan, who frequented the city’s bars preying on primarily middle-aged Native women. The coroner’s reports listed the cause of death of many of these women as “unnatural and accidental.”Marie Clements reconstructs the lives of these women as shaped by lost connections—to loved ones, to the land, to a way of life—lives of at times desperate, at times tender yearning for ties of communication, belonging and shelter gone dead. These are precariously vulnerable lives, so easily drawn to their end by the heat and light of a flame, lives that thirst for an end of searching in forgetfulness.

Set against the backdrop of Ojibwa culture, this multilayered drama explores the life and persona of renowned artist Norval Morrisseau. The narrative unfolds through a diverse cast of five women and four men, delving into themes of identity, artistry, and cultural heritage. The interplay between characters reveals the complexities of Morrisseau's influence and legacy, offering a rich tapestry of personal and collective stories that resonate with both historical and contemporary significance.

"Marie Clements's acclaimed play sears a dramatic swath through the reactionary identity politics of race, gender and class, using the penetrating yellow-white light, the false sun of uranium and radium, derived from a coal black rock known as pitchblende, as a metaphor for the invisible, malignant evils everywhere poisoning our relationship to the earth and to each other. Burning Vision unmasks both the great lies of the imperialist power-elite (telling the miners they are digging for a substance to "cure cancer" while secretly using it to build the atomic bombs that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki); and the seemingly small rationalizations and accommodations people of all cultures construct to make their personal circumstances yield the greatest benefit to themselves for the least amount of effort or change on their part. It is also a scathing attack on the "public apology" as yet another mask, as a manipulative device, which always seeks to conceal the maintenance and furtherance of the self-interest of its wearer. Clements's powerful visual sets and soundscapes contain curtains of flames which at times assume the bodies of a chorus passing its remote judgment, devoid of both pity and fear, on the action: a merciless indictment of the cross-cultural, buried worm of avarice and self-interest hidden within the terrorism of the push to "go with the times," to accept the iconography of a reality defined, contextualized and illuminated by others. Marie Clements writes, or, perhaps more accurately, composes, with an urbane, incisive and sophisticated intellect deeply rooted in the particulars of her place, time and history." -- Publisher's description

This drama by Marie Clements explores deep emotional themes, complemented by a striking contemporary photo exhibit from Rita Leistner. Together, they create a powerful narrative that intertwines visual art and theater, offering a unique perspective on the human experience. The collaboration highlights the intersection of storytelling and imagery, inviting audiences to reflect on the profound messages conveyed through both mediums.

The narrative weaves together Indigenous characters from various historical periods, contrasting modern times with the First World War. It highlights diverse cultural groups, including the Cree and Coast Salish, providing readers with an engaging introduction to Indigenous Peoples in Canadian history. This book is tailored for younger and young-adult audiences, offering a rich exploration of cultural heritage and historical perspectives.