Cottagers and Indians returns to Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre

By Sam Laskaris

TORONTO – There’s no denying Cottagers and Indians has exceeded all expectations. Written by Curve Lake First Nation playwright Drew Hayden Taylor, the play had a successful run at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre last February and March.

“We were all surprised by its popularity,” Taylor said. “It was sold out and more people wanted to see it.”

Since last winter’s successes, the play has been performed in numerous communities across Ontario. These performances have been for just one day or lasting a few days.

Now the play has returned to Toronto, for another run at the Tarragon Theatre. It opened on Tuesday and continues until Feb. 24.

Cottagers and Indians is based on a true story involving Taylor’s long-time friend, James Whetung, an Indigenous rice farmer who has been embroiled in a lengthy battle with cottagers who are upset his wild rice is ruining their waterfront pleasures.

Whetung seeds the lake with his wild race and harvests it and then packages it and sells it through his company.

“It’s an ongoing thing,” Taylor said of Whetung’s dispute with cottagers, whose complaints include his marshy plants are not appealing to their shorelines and make boating difficult.
Taylor was obviously hoping his play would be well received.

“I had my fingers crossed,” he said.

Taylor has been blown away by how well the play, which has plenty of comedic moments, has been received.

“Who would have thought a play about an Indigenous man and cottagers and wild rice would have caught the attention of avid theatre goers in Toronto,” he said.

Cottagers and Indians is based in the fictional Otter Lake, which is actually based on Curve Lake. Otter Lake is mentioned in many of Thomas’ writings.

“It just did not occur to me it would make an interesting play,” Thomas said.

The play has been so well received there is even talk of taking it on tour to other provinces in the future.
This year’s Toronto production of Cottagers and Indians features two actors. Billy Merasty plays the Anishinabek rice farmer named Arthur Cooper and Maureen Poole, a female cottager who lives in Scarborough, located in Toronto’s east end, is played by Carmen Grant.

The pair share the same stage, though Merasty is in a canoe while Grant is on her cottage deck.

The actors spend a good chunk of the 80-minute play making their cases about their wild rice battle. They lament their intrusions on privacy, property and peace.

“They break the fourth wall and talk to the audience and to each other,” Taylor said.

Though both actors make convincing arguments about their cases, it is up to audience members to determine whose side they are on.

“I think most people tend to be sympathetic to the Indigenous perspective,” Taylor added.

Besides being a playwright, Taylor, is also an accomplished author, journalist/columnist, film maker and lecturer.

He’s written more than 70 plays and 30 books.

More information about Cottagers and Indians, including performance dates and ticket purchases, is available at the Tarragon Theatre website.