Bug (Canadian play)
2018 play by Yolanda Bonnell
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Bug is a play by Indigenous playwright Yolanda Bonnell that was a Governor General's Award 2020 finalist. The play is the story of an Indigenous mother and daughter, their substance addictions, incorporating themes of racialised and colonial violence.
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| Bug | |
|---|---|
| |
| Written by | Yolanda Bonnell |
| Characters | Manidoons |
| Date premiered | 2018 |
| Place premiered | Luminato |
| Subject | Indigenous peoples in Canada, racism, colonialism |
Production
Bug was written by Yolanda Bonnell of Fort William First Nation in Thunder Bay[1] Set design was by Jay Havens of the Mohawk nation.[1] Bonnell plays the character Manidoons.[1]
Upon the play's release, Yolanda Bonnell asked that only people of colour review the play,[2][3] which premiered at the Luminato festival in 2018.[4]
Synopsis
Bug has two characters, a mother and daughter, both played by Bonnell, both struggling with addiction, both unsure of the reasons why.[4] The two characters never interact.[4]
The play includes themes of the Sixties Scoop, of queer and two-spirit leadership, it includes colonial violence, racial violence, and gender-based violence,[1] along with intergenerational trauma.[4]
Critical reception
J. Kelly Nestruck equated the Bug's narrative to the Anishinaabe creation story.[1] Karyn Recollet of the Globe and Mail, when asked to score the play, said "If I were to provide a rating then, it would be a full-on constellation."[1]
The play was a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Awards.[5][6]
See also
- Women of the Fur Trade, 2020 play by Frances Koncan