Someday: A Play

Someday, a short, two-act play by Drew Hayden Taylor, gives a brief glimpse into the world of a Canadian reservation that deals with tragedies that affected many First Nation communities. Janice Wirth returns to the rez to meet her mother, Anne, and sister, Barb, after 35 years. Janice was taken away as a baby by social workers and adopted by a white family. The women deal with changes that have taken place over 35 years. Anne must come to terms that her baby is now a grown woman. Barb struggles with wanting to know the real reason that Janice is back. And Janice is searching for answers that she doesn't even know all the questions for. This play is well-written and a fast read. The scenery is simple and lets the reader really get involved in the scene. Although the characters may be a bit underdeveloped, the story itself is one that needs to be told. Taylor uses the right amount of humor and drama to get his point across about searching for one's roots and trying to accept differences. He writes about what is known among Native Canadians as the "scoop-up" with compassion and understanding. He gives us many details into life on the rez in a simple, straightforward way. Someday is a noteworthy play that contains a lot of emotion in a few short scenes.