We can define “Heaven” in two ways: a location where one has already found paradise or a destination we strive for but have not yet reached. On rare occasions, a place can switch back and forth between both meanings.
The latter thought crossed my mind while watching Heaven, the enjoyable two-person play running at the National Arts Centre until this Saturday.
Roughly 80 minutes with no intermission, the story is set in Amber Valley, Alberta, settled in the early 1900s by African Americans from Oklahoma and the Deep South of the United States in response to the Canadian government’s call for farmers to settle the prairies. Amber Valley was the largest of a handful of African American communities formed in rural Alberta and Saskatchewan at the beginning of the last century.
Heaven at the NAC, with Helen Belay and Christopher Clare. Photo provided.
The play follows Charlotte, portrayed by the wonderful Helen Belay, a schoolteacher from St. Catharines, Ontario, that moves to Alberta to make a better life while escaping a mysterious past. The story revolves around her friendship with a farmer named Ezra, played by the excellent Christopher Clare, who came to Amber Valley from the United States.
In the early stages of the play, Charlotte complains to Ezra that her Black students have significantly fewer resources than surrounding white communities. When Ezra replies that things in Canada are better than in the US, Charlotte replies with this insight: Why should students in Amber Valley accept being second-class citizens in Alberta just because they are not being lynched in Oklahoma? “Heaven,” I thought while hearing this line, “is a place we are still striving for.”
Later in the play, Ezra gets angry when an Amber Valley resident says they want to return to Oklahoma, leaving him utterly perplexed about why anyone would want to return to the land of the Klan. “We are in heaven,” I imagined Ezra thinking, “so why do you want to leave?”
These different perspectives of what Amber Valley means, but more importantly, what it can become, captivated me the most about this play. I commend playwright Cheryl Foggo for creating such a touching, insightful play that offers a fascinating look into a crucial part of Canadian history.
Heaven at the NAC. Photo provided.
Besides writing great dialogue and creating touching interactions between Charlotte and Ezra, the play also brilliantly uses the stage. With a series of wonderful effects throughout the show, the audience journeys through Canada’s infamous weather changes—from brutal winters to the rebirth of spring, to dangerous rainstorms, to the joys of playing baseball on a beautiful summer day—that are fantastic.
With strong acting, a captivating story, brilliant set work, and fascinating history, I highly recommend you see this play.
Heaven by Cheryl Foggo runs at the National Arts Centre’s Azrieli Studio until May 13. For tickets, check here.
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