Interview: 'Trudeau Stories' Brooke Johnson talks Trudeau, Politics, Love, Loss and Friendship

The Grand Theatre in London just announced that it is bringing the wildly popular Trudeau Stories to London as part of the theatre's UnderGrand Series. Trudeau Stories recently played in Toronto and was a huge hit, with critics raving about the one woman show and encouraging people to get out and see it.

Brooke Johnson became friends with Pierre Elliott Trudeau when she was a student at The National Theatre School in Montreal, in 1985. It had been a year and a half since Trudeau had stepped down as Prime Minister, and Trudeau now found himself walking to work, washing dishes and putting peanut butter on toast - all the while hanging around with Brooke.

The two developed a close friendship, and through reminiscences, journal entries and correspondence Brooke brings the story of their friendship to life on stage in Trudeau Stories. It is a private insight into the man and the times, and it is about love, friendship and loss.

BWW had the chance to have a one on one with Brooke Johnson, where we discuss not only Trudeau Stories, but politics, history and even the Olympics:

Trudeau Stories is a one-woman play based on your relationship with the former Prime Minister. Could you tell us a bit about how you got the idea to do this production?

It wasn't that I came up with the idea to do a production; it was--as these things often are--an evolutionary process. Pierre Trudeau died in September of 2000, and I had not been in touch since well before Michel was killed. I was taken completely by surprise and found myself coping with a grief that I couldn't share with any of my friends or family. It was then that I started to dig through boxes from my twenties and early thirties and found old letters and notebooks with details of visits that I had forgotten. I was a student at theatre school at the time we first met-- and during the time in which most of the play takes place. As the years progressed I got caught up in my own work and life in Toronto, and while I always meant to keep that connection strong, I kind of let the ball drop in the mid 90's. We very occasionally spoke on the phone, but my life was so much different then.

As I sifted through the journals, I started to recognize that there was much more there than a simple story of Young Woman meets Prime Minister. There was the creation of what was for me, a remarkable friendship which crossed several boundaries...young/old, female/male, artist/politician; I had one year of university (prior to theatre school) vs. his extensive academic career; he was internationally renowned, I was just this Canadian kid; he had enormous achievements under his belt-I was just starting out....AND I found that this story spoke to some ideas that I have always held dear-that each one of us is as significant as the next, and that we mustn't see ourselves as inferior to anyone, and that if we have something to say, we must speak out.

How exactly did you meet Mr. Trudeau?

The answer to this comprises the first story in the play, called The Shoes. I don't want to spoil it for anyone - but I will say that I met Trudeau when I was in my 2nd year at The National Theatre School of Canada and he was more or less a year and a half retired from Parliament Hill, and that he was wearing a tuxedo and I was wearing a borrowed black dress, as well as borrowed shoes which were two sizes too big.

I understand that a lot of the play was developed from journal entries and voicemail messages that you still have from Mr. Trudeau, are any of those directly featured in the production?

Within the body of the play there are a couple of direct quotes from my journal entries of the time, but mostly, the journal records triggered memories which spilled forth after Trudeau's death and from which I flushed out the stories. These are enacted as much as told, so that an audience will witness occasions or conversations between us. It was the journal entries and the answering machine messages that helped forge the show together.

We already ran a small feature where we spoke with the set designer Lindsay Anne Black about the accuracy and effort that went into the floorpiece used in the show (modeled after Trudeau's home). Will the audience have the opportunity to see or learn about other unique and personal historic details during the show?

Lindsay Anne (Black) is an extraordinarily talented theatre artist. She had a look at photographs of the Trudeau house in Montreal, which was designed by the Canadian architect Ernest Cormier for himself. Mr. Cormier also designed our Supreme Court in Ottawa, amongst other landmarks. The Cormier/Trudeau floor inspired Lindsay's painting of the floor cloth of the set. The house itself is a stunning example of Art Deco, and audiences will hear a little bit about the street level of that building.

I was born in 1962, so by the time we became friends Pierre Trudeau had been the leader of my country for 16 out of my 23 years. This is not an overtly political show, in that it is not about politics-however it is a bit of a trip back through time, which touches very briefly on certain elements of the Trudeau governments. But as for it being an opportunity to learn unique details, I can say that is exactly what this experience offers.

What is it like for you as an artist to relive such personal and obviously touching experiences each night in front of an audience?

The simple answer is: That it is extraordinarily fulfilling, because that sort of communication is what an artist is supposed to do (or potentially, what we are meant to do). The other answer is that sometimes it's incredibly energizing and sometimes it's tough. I'm not a touchy-feely kind of person, I think of myself as a craftsperson, and that it is not my business to experience the emotional catharsis of a piece, it is for the audience to do so. That said, I can't deny that this is in fact a reliving of a very vital time in my own life, and it is an absolute joy to be sharing it with people, and sometimes it's kind of like visiting with my old friend again.

In light of Canada's recent success at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, many Canadians are feeling especially patriotic right now. Will they learn a bit more about one of (arguably) Canada's favourite Prime Ministers by coming to see your show?

Absolutely. People who knew him have said that it was wonderful to see him again. People who didn't know him have remarked on how he came across exactly as they would have wished him to be, and people who were too young to have even heard of him say that they wish we had someone like that leading the country now.

I don't think patriotism and politics belong together. But if people come to the show, they will revisit a time when we were engaged in the discussion--the politics of our country were debated at supper tables and at the bars, because there was lots of stuff to talk about and argue about, and we were invited to do so (and vehemently encouraged to do so) by Trudeau's government. I have very little idea about what is going on in our current Prime Minister's cabinet or in his mind. That is unfortunate, because how can you discuss and debate something you know nothing about?

Without giving too much away, do you have a favourite moment you look forward to every night in the show?

It's a bit of a roller coaster. It is 72 minutes that roll and dance and skate and muse-it's hard to pick a moment. The best times are whenever there is a vocal response-a laugh, or the sound of recognition from the audience. I think there have been people who have seen the show who don't normally go to the theatre. And sometimes that means that they feel they have to be on their best behaviour and be still and quiet. In fact, the opposite is true. The theatre is about humanity, and should be a place where we get to engage. Of course, you don't want to have a verbal conversation with the audience during the show, but I know you're out there, and you know I'm on stage, and the whole reason we're all together is to share this story, so no one should have to stifle what they're experiencing.

For people interested in politics and/or Canadian history, there are countless reasons to come out and see this show. But what about for your average theatre goer? What would you say is the main reason to come out and see it?

It's funny. It's touching. It's about connecting. It's about friendship and loss and it's about who the heck we think we are.... And it's about 70 minutes *laughs*

When and Where?

Trudeau Stories

The Grand Theatre

471 Richmond Street, London ON N6A 3E4

Performance Schedule:

Wednesday March 3 at 8 p.m.

Thursday March 4 at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Friday March 5 at 8 p.m.

Saturday March 6 at 8 p.m.

For tickets call (519) 672-8800 or click www.grandtheatre.com

 

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