Stage lights trained on battle with evil

Kuujjuamiut of all ages are invited to join in a novel theatrical adventure Wednesday evening at the Kaitittavik Town Hall theatre: a play called “In my igloo.”

It’s the second “black light” creation of Jaanimmarik School’s students, who performed a similar play last year to enthusiastic audiences.

“Black light” theatre means special lighting reveals only colours of the costumes worn by performers and of the backdrops. This results in eerie effects on the stage, which is otherwise bathed in dark.

The play will be performed in mime to a trilingual recorded sound track, narrated by teachers Marie-Joan Kauki, Michel Lemoine and Loretta MacPherson.

Students in Lemoine’s French-language Grade 6 and 7 classes have been working on this play for months, building sets, learning their roles and organizing the production.

Here’s a brief idea of the action of “In my igloo:” Ulayuyak, the main character, is a small Inuk boy. He is guided by a good angel, but tracked down by an evil demon and taken far, far away into a gigantic maze.

“In a world where Good and Evil had fought since the dawn of time, an Inuit tribe lived without knowing the extraordinary hidden world of the night. One day, Evil took every child of this village. One by one they disappeared. Fortunately, all hope was not lost. Good had always been on Evil’s tail. One night, the Angel of Good visited an Inuk while he was sleeping. This Inuk named Ulaluyak was well known for his purity of heart…”

In order to find the way out, Ulayuyak has to be clever… enemies and friends cross his path, and what he decides determine his destiny.

“Again in the dark, Ulaluyak saw once again the Magic Caribou and the Witch of the Night. The Witch told him that he was going to be stuck in this night for eternity… and was happy to see the fear in Ulaluyak’s eyes. Even though he was under the spell of the Witch, Ulaluyak glimpsed the big Jack-In-the-Box. He used it… the clown that came out of it grabbed the Witch and locked her up. He then told Ulaluyak that with his courage he had rescued all of the children of the maze.”

Be there on Wednesday May 24 at the Katittavik Town Hall at 7:30 pm to see how the play ends. Tickets are $5 at the school, from the students and at the door.