That’s a wrap: Nunavut arts festival survives the snags

During one performance of Minik, at this scene, the audience got an extra show when the actor’s underwear were accidentally yanked down. (PHOTO BY THOMAS ROHNER)

Tomas Callister on fiddle and accordionist Jamie Smith of the Celtic band Barrule were favourites at the Alianait closing concert at Nakasuk School in Iqaluit July 3. (PHOTO BY THOMAS ROHNER)

Iqaluit’s Alianait Arts Festival has once again come to close, wrapping up a hectic schedule that deposited dozens of artists from across the country — and the world — into Nunavut’s capital for five days of music, art and theatre.

But what began on June 29 as a loose collection of strangers ended with an impromptu bonfire party full of new friends, acquaintances and some of the best campfire music you’ll ever hear.

You can find a video of that evening on Alianait’s Facebook page here.

“Alianait is always very special,” says festival director Heather Daley.

“These people just love to get together and perform together and share.”

Daley estimates more than 6,000 tickets were punched at Alianait events over the five-day festival.

And the festival’s new mobile app — giving users real-time schedule updates, artists background and music streaming — was downloaded more than 400 times.

But does that mean everything went according to plan?

Well not exactly, said Daley, who notes the festival always has its share of twists.

This year was no exception, here’s a few behind the scenes anecdotes for 2016:

Time to Shine

Take for example the National Theatre of Greenland’s inaugural appearance at the festival, performing its play “Minik.”

Cast member Miki Jacobsen had just three days in Iqaluit to learn his part in the play, after the original actor failed to get through customs at the Nuuk airport.

Jacobsen was called at his home while the troupe waited on the Nuuk tarmac.

“Pack your bags now, get to the airport,” Daley recounted.

The team spent their time in Canada stuffed in a school classroom cramming for the performance, ultimately delivering two warmly-received shows July 2.

Unaccredited fifth “member”

If you were in the audience at Minik’s matinee performance, you might have seen more than you bargained for when an actor, who was meant to pull down another actor’s pants, accidentally pulled down the man’s underwear as well.

“I don’t know if it was a wardrobe malfunction, or if they meant to do it,” Daley said.

The evening performance kept the underwear on, but Daley says she’s proud the festival brought the play to Nunavut, and North America, for the first time.

“I’m so glad we got that here, it was a really important play to show,” she said.

Fog hat

Many of the artists featured at the festival this year came to Nunavut early to participate in Pangnirtung’s second annual “Pang Fest,” taking place the weekend before Alianait.

But Nunavut weather being what it is, many of those acts were stranded in Iqaluit or Pangnirtung after First Air cancelled its service to the community due to heavy fog.

Daley says that forced a rescue of sorts, by way of a special charter plane, to get the musicians back to Iqaluit in time to perform at the festival.

So long, and thanks for all the lights!

Students at Nakasuk School next year will have a new addition to their gymnasium stage, thanks to a donation by Alianait and the National Theatre of Greenland.

Alianait crews were tasked with building an onstage lighting system for the production of Minik, which required modern overhead stage lights for the play.

Those lights were permanently installed into the stage’s ceiling and will be the first ever overhead lighting system for the school’s theatre space.