The Greatest Show

We are so lucky to have this show at the Clarington Museums and Archives.

It is an exhibit of designs, costumes, puppets, masks and set pieces designed over the past 30 years by Jerrard & Diana Smith for the Patria Cycle of music dramas created by composer R. Murray Schafer.

Displayed are designs and pieces from; 'The Greatest Show', 'Princess of the Stars', 'The Enchanted Forest', 'Ra', The Palace of the Cinnabar Phoenix' and 'The Crown of Ariadne'.

The Heritage centre has become a magical place to visit, and to come to work. One of the striking pieces is a 10' tall wolf puppet that was used in the Princess of the Stars- It had been mounted to a boat for that production as it was staged on a lake. The Audience would go to the lake front before dawn to watch the theatre piece. Part way through the performance this giant wolf lit from within would come floating across the lake calling and singing.

It is always interesting to see how the public react and interact with pieces like this in the context of a museum. This summer we ran camp, essentially around the feet of this representation of 'Fenris' (the camp kids called him 'Bruce' instead).

It was wonderful to have the kids creating art surrounded by designs of incredible things and those designs made solid.

This is an interesting and inspiring exhibit, on display until the end of January. Drop by and have a look when you get a chance

Thanks for looking

D.