Marion Bridge

It is usually many reader's habit to skip a book's introduction. That should not be done with Marion Bridge. Daniel MacIvor uses his foreword to explain the evolution of this work from screenplay outline to dramatic play and back. The volume includes Marion Bridge written in two ways- for a play and for a movie. The differences and why they occur are some of the most fascinating aspects to the book. Being able to read the work in both forms is an inside look at the technique of writing for different medias, for the different ways the words will be interpreted and portrayed. All authors must know their audience even before they write, a screen or play writer must also take into account the interpretation of the words into actions. Marion Bridge, in both forms, examines the relationships between three sisters when they get together to take care of their dying mother. The people are different in each treatment but still retain the same essence of character. Agnes is back in town reluctantly, dealing with her sisters, her mother and knowing that the daughter she, as a teenager, gave up for adoption is near by. The interplay of the female family members is clearly structured, the dialogue is crisp and to the point. The story never falls into the trap of stereotypes even though each woman is a well defined in a short piece. Although he addresses life in the midst of various dysfunctional circumstances, MacIvor allows each voice to tell its own story, to show its own heart. It is a unique treat to get this behind the scenes look at the process of screen writing, the bones of the movie making process.

I recently discovered the plays of Daniel MacIvor, a Canadian actor-playwright I'd seen on the series "Twitch City." He has one of the most original theatrical visions I've encountered, tempered with an amazing generosity in the depiction of character. "Marion Bridge" is about three sisters--a nun, a failed actress and the one who stayed in their small-town home--coming together to care for their dying mother. Unlike most men writing about women, he does not define the women in terms of their relationships with men, nor does he put the women at each other's throats for two acts. Instead, they react like real family members. Sometimes they work together; sometimes they fight. And it's always little things that mark the transition from one stage to another.I've taken scenes from this play to some acting workshops and all involved have been very impressed with the flow of the dialogue and the effective, totally believable use of humor. I'm surprised nobody has done Mr. MacIvor's plays down here. I hope to do a production of this in the fall. Order this book. You won't be dissappointed.