Adapted from the Canada Reads-winning memoir by Mark Sakamoto, Forgiveness tells the story of two people traumatized but not broken by the Second World War. Mitsue Sakamoto and her family are sent to a civilian internment camp in the Canadian interior after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Ralph MacLean joins the Canadian army and endures years of privation in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. When the conflict ends, Mitsue and Ralph are forced to confront their long-buried anger and grief when Mitsue’s son and Ralph’s daughter fall in love. An emotional map across time, this story of love and family is a testament to the power of choosing forgiveness over hatred.
“There are no weak links in the production, painted in tender strokes by Arima and his team…missing this production in the current political climate would be a fatal mistake.” – Aisling Murphy, The Globe and Mail
Honoured to choreograph a few moments in Stafford Arima’s stunning production. Shout out to the amazing company and my dance captain, Gabe Antonacci!
