THE LAST DOG OF WAR
Written and performed by Linda Griffiths
Direction and dramaturgy by Daniel MacIvor
Developed by Duchess Productions
Two of Canada’s very best theatre artists, Linda Griffiths and Daniel MacIvor, team up to deliver a funny and moving original show that celebrates daughters and fathers. Linda Griffiths’ theatrical true-life story, the last dog of war takes you inside a woman’s conflicted love for her father, an ‘old bastard’ who flew 30 missions during WWll, 7 over Berlin. The masterful writing and compelling performance is at once surprising, wickedly funny, and deeply heart-wrenching – a rocket ship of a show that unveils something new and poetic about war and love.
Griffiths tells the tale of a trip she makes with her father to the U.K., to the last reunion of his RAF comrades, 49th Squadron, Bomber Command. The show speaks of a long ago war and a present war: between the Allies and Nazis and between a father and daughter. It’s a fierce and wondrous trip as father and daughter travel through many obstacles, towards guns blazing in the night – from urban North America to the empty airfields of the Lancaster bombers.
Back in 2005, Linda Griffiths had an idea. She would travel to the UK with her father to the last reunion of his bomber squadron from WWII. She had grown up in a house at war – her brother’s line was “we thought the second world war was still going on.” Her father had never given more than snippets of stories of his time in the RAF. Linda figured this would be a way to get that heritage, and along the way perhaps improve her relationship with her father. The day she arrived home, she got off the plane, met up with Daniel MacIvor, worked for a few hours with him, then stood up in front of a small audience of friends and acquaintances and told the story of the trip.
From that first magical, mostly improvised telling, she has developed the script over the last several years, and it’s had a handful of professional productions since, including Alberta Theatre Projects and Chester Playhouse.
The show is Linda, a suitcase, a stool and some incidental costumes and props. It runs approximately 75 minutes.
Linda Griffiths is the winner of five Dora Mavor Moore awards, two Chalmer’s Awards, a Betty Mitchell Award, an ACTRA Award, the Quizanne International Festival Award for Jessica, Los Angeles’ A.G.A. Award for her performance in the title role of John Sayles’ film Liana. She has twice been nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Award – Drama, for The Darling Family (1992) and Alien Creature: a visitation from Gwendolyn MacEwen (2000).
Selected Reviews:
“Is there anything more fun than finding yourself, for a night, in the company of a great storyteller?” …funny, moving, exhilarating!” – Bob Clarke, Calgary Herald
“The Last Dog of War is one of those wonderful, enchanting and engrossing evenings of theatre that is over too quickly and whose warmth and humanity linger long after you’ve left the theatre. Four stars.” – Louis Hobson, Calgary Sun
“Superb!” “Griffiths makes her story accessible by making it very personal… and for much of it, very funny … although it’s got a heavy emotional core, Last Dog of War is wrapped in a layer of sharp observational comedy… – CBC Radio Winnipeg
“High-flying tale of war spellbinding” One-woman play funny, moving portrait of life with bomber squadron father” – Halifax – The Chronicle Herald
“Daughter’s Stage Flight with ‘Old Bastard’ a Success. Compelling …The effect is to be reminded and deeply appreciative of the sacrifice of “the old bastard” and his fellow flyboys.” – Winnipeg Free Press
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