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Arrata Opera Centre

Ellen Chorley describes her new play, Emma Burden, Mob Hit’s latest production, as a fairy tale for adults.

Chorley recalls that her love of fairytales dates back to her childhood. “When I was little, I told everyone I was going to be a princess,” Chorley laughs, describing how her mother used to point out trees and rock piles, telling her young daughter that that’s where fairies lived.

“I wanted to write something that spoke to all I love about fairytales and children’s theatre,” says Chorley, who also writes plays for young people (she’s currently working on a script based on the Twelve Dancing Princesses for this year’s Edmonton Fringe Festival). “I wanted to bring the magic and excitement of children’s theatre to the play and spark the imagination.”

However, Sarah Wheeldon, the storyteller in the play, emphasizes that Emma Burden is not a show for kids. “The power of sacrifice, death, betrayal… take it away from being suitable for children,” she says.

As with all good fairy tales, however, love plays a strong role in Emma Burden, but it’s more a story about love, rather than a love story, according to Chorley. “People are afraid of love stories right now. I was afraid of it, too,” she admits. As a result, the play is populated with characters who say it’s all right to be afraid of love.

Emma Burden is set in the mythical world of Dartagnon, and weaves several parallel storylines together. There’s the story of the play’s eponymous character, Emma, who, on the eve of her wedding, discovers her name is cursed. According to the curse, she will have only one night with her beloved and then will have to leave him forever. Emma and her twin brother Will set out to rid their name of the curse and find the father they never knew.

Another story involves an orphaned girl who lives in an abbey. One day, the abbot tells her she must dress as a man and flee, as her life is in danger. Add to this the ongoing war between a fairy king who controls the flora and fauna, and a fairy queen, who controls the air elements.

“Seven actors play 29 different parts. You have to rely on the actors to help your imagination,” says Chorley, noting that, with a simple set, this becomes all the more important. Wheeldon, as the storyteller, also helps the audience navigate the different tales, and as the story unfolds, it becomes apparent the characters need to come together to break the curse.

With the play opening on February 5 and closing on Valentine’s Day, the timing of the show is also not lost on Chorney. “It involves all those elements you’re thinking about around Valentine’s,” she says gleefully.