A one-man show is never really a one-man show.
When the lights come up and a performer steps onto the stage alone, the audience sees a single storyteller. What they don’t see are the many creative hands that helped build the world around him.
The show begins with the writing of Cambridge author Charlene Herrold (1920–2009). Her collection of stories imagined the spirited Irish village of Ballycarlene — a place where neighbours gossip across fences, fiddlers play late into the night, and the everyday dramas of village life unfold with equal measures of humour and heartbreak.
Those stories have now been adapted for the stage by Guelph actor and storyteller Jay Wilson, who performs the one-man production, bringing to life a lively cast of characters including Terrible Tom O’Malley, the Widow O’Donnell, Fiddler O’Flaherty, and even the cat, Frances O’Feline. Following enthusiastic audience response at Theatre Collingwood’s Porchside Festival, the show has since travelled to stages across Ontario.
But while only one performer appears on stage, the production itself reflects a number of local creative collaborators.
Simple set pieces were built by Fergus craftsman Jim Hoare, a long-time supporter of community theatre, while the visual world of the show is shaped by scenic artwork from Guelph illustrator and painter Robin Baird Lewis, whose artistic career spans more than five decades and more than thirty children’s books.
Together, these artists — writer, performer, builder, and painter — reflect something easy to overlook: the depth of creative talent that exists throughout our region.
That local creative ecosystem depends on spaces where artists can share their work. For Wilson it is encouraging to see the River Run Centre providing opportunities for professional artists from our community to perform alongside national and international programming.
Across the city there are signs that this cultural community is gaining new recognition. The Guelph Arts Council will soon launch the GRETAs (Guelph Recognition of Excellence in the Arts), celebrating artists and innovators whose work enriches the life of the community. At the same time, the City of Guelph has recently adopted a cultural plan that recognizes the importance of supporting and nurturing the arts locally.
Perhaps one day this momentum will lead to the development of a resident professional theatre company devoted to telling stories rooted here — stories that reflect not only Guelph’s past, but the many cultures and lived experiences that shape the city today.
In the meantime, productions like Lilt of Laughter, Trace of Tears remind us that storytelling is alive and well in Guelph. All it takes is a good story, a few dedicated artists, and an audience willing to come along for the ride.
Lilt of Laughter, Trace of Tears will be performed at the River Run Centre Studio Theatre on April 9 at 8 p.m.
Tickets to Lilt of Laughter, Trace of Tears are $30 for adults, $28 for patrons over 60 years old, and $25 for those under 30. Sliding Scale tickets are available for $10 and $20. For more information or to purchase, call 519-763-3000, visit River Run’s Box Office at 35 Woolwich Street in Guelph, or go to https://riverrun.ca/whats-on/lilt-of-laughter-trace-of-tears/
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