Oil and Water at Factory Theatre

Big edgy theatre from the edge of a big country.

Oil and Water is a theatrical retelling of the incredible true story of Lanier Phillips. Shipwrecked in 1942, Mr. Phillips was the only African-American survivor. He was saved and openly embraced by the “people of St. Lawrence” and his life was forever altered. This legendary story still resonates with relevance and power. A ten-person cast sings an a cappella score that blends the Newfoundland folk tradition with African-American gospel.

Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland’s Oil and Water is another superb creative collaboration by Siminovitch Award-winning director Jillian Keiley and Governor General Award-winning playwright Robert Chafe. Their work has played across the country and abroad to critical and audience acclaim, and includes Fear of Flight, Afterimage and Under Wraps. Founded in 1995 and based in St. John’s Newfoundland, Artistic Fraud specializes in large-scale chorus-based work, where spectacle meets story.