THE GRAVITATIONAL PULL OF BERNICE TRIMBLE

Stage Manager: Colleen Mazor

Producer: Jason Bowers

Set Design and Painting: Sandy Bishop

Lighting Design: Mark Hayward

Sound Design: Dave Kouhi

Costumes: Laura John

Set Builder: Gord Herbert

Content Expert: Lee Livingstone

Production Photography: Lucas Laplante

Iris: Ashlee Brewer

Bernice: Linda Alsemgeest

Sarah: Franca Ianni

Peter: Benajmin Candeo

At its core, The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble asks a deceptively simple question: what do we owe to the people whom we love? Not what we want to give, not what feels noble or survivable, but what is actually required of us when love collides with fear, decline, and loss of control.

This is a play about obligation. About the (sometimes) terrifying gap between devotion and consent. About the way love can become a weight that pulls us into moral territory we are unprepared to enter. Iris is not heroic because she is strong; she is heroic because she stays. She listens. She supports her mother's wishes even when the weight feels unbearable. 

I was impressed reading the script that the play refuses the fantasy that there is a “right” answer. Instead, it holds us (gently but relentlessly) inside the impossible choices that arise when autonomy, dignity, memory, and care begin to fracture.

We have chosen to locate this production firmly in 2003 - a moment when there was less research, more fear, and far fewer options available to families facing Alzheimer’s. To me, this context matters. It sharpens the stakes of Bernice’s decisions and reminds us that while certainty, language, and care models evolve, love and fear do not. My instincts and research that determined this framing were supported by thoughtful conversation with the fabulous Lee Livingstone, whose insights have provided authenticity and care in the shaping of this production.  

My deepest thanks go to my wife Marissa, who has lived alongside this work with patience, honesty, and generosity. I am the artist, and person, that I am because of you.  I am also profoundly grateful to the artists in this room for their rigour, vulnerability, and trust, and the wonderful team at SST. And, of course, thanks to you, the audience, for being here.

When I saw South Simcoe Theatre’s call for directors, I decided to give this one a read. I had some time during the period of rehearsals and performances, and had a great time working with them on Dancing At Lughnasa in 2018. Initially, it did not grip me. There were parts I liked - great characters, interesting moral quandary at the heart of it - normally, things that I am quite drawn to. But, the deadline passed and I felt “well, maybe I take a bit of a break.” I would be going in right after performances concluded on The Seagull, at the end of a very big year, and on the cusp of my most ambitious yet.

But then, the President of SST sent me an email asking directly if I would consider directing it. So, I gave it another read and discovered that all those things I liked rang more resonantly. Maybe because I had an offer on the table, but I genuinely think it was because I saw it in stronger, clearer light. Of course, I said yes, and I am so glad I did.

I will admit, there were times when things were a little tricky re-acclimatizing to the world of community theatre. The expectations, especially of a director, felt quite different than what I had become accustomed to. The quirks of volunteerism, some of the blurred responsibilities, etc. took some getting used to. However, I have found that there is such a passion and desire to ‘do good.’ I was blessed with a great group of people who were ready to work hard, grew, and have achieved great things.

I also used this as a chance to push myself. For this story, I used lighting as the central design method for telling the story. Sure, the set is gorgeous, and the music and sound enhanced the performances, but really, for this one, I wanted the lighting to ‘shine.’ And it was interesting that the first idea for the vision was a lighting one - twinkling bulbs hanging overhead representing stars, synapses firing in a brain (a core theme of the play is memory), and ideas (‘lightbulb’ moments.)

In the end, the show was a great success that touched the lives of many people. What more can you ask for than that?