Abbotsford’s UFV theater showcases Ghost of Loch Soumas

Fraser Valley University’s School of Creative Arts is pleased to announce the production of Ghosts of Lake Smus, beginning Wednesday, November 30th.

The production is overseen by Dr. Michelle LaFlamme, UFV Associate Professor of English.

Ghosting of Sumas Lake is based on the historic storm and flood that hit the Sumas Prairie region in November 2021.

UFV Theater will create a show about students’ experiences of devastating floods, the impact of the climate crisis, stories of community loss and resilience, and how our experiences with the land, history, and past make us feel. Find out what keeps haunting you.

LaFlamme has extensive training in forum theater methods and the use of theater for social change.

Her research and teaching focus is on contemporary Canadian literature, with a particular interest in Aboriginal theatre, literature and performance.

For 30 years she has acted, written and developed plays. She has also worked as an actor, director, and most recently as a co-creator of the devised Forum She Theater.

“Exactly one year later, the focus of the fall show was chosen because we felt it was timely and relevant, as performances and gallery installations of the same name are an important way to mark these experiences. I did,” said LaFlamme.

She said the show was a “container” for some of the experiences of those affected by the floods.

Through scheduled talkbacks on the show, LaFlamme said he hopes to have even more conversations with students, faculty, staff and residents.

“The title I chose for this workshop performance was to remind us of the different ways we’ve been haunted in the past. In this case, the lake is back in place,” she said. Told.

“And we are disillusioned with the experience of this land, including recent and past flood losses in the area.

“Ghosting is also a way of understanding the sense of loss that arose among the indigenous people of the area when the lake first dried up.

“And, of course, all of humanity is plagued by the persistent threat of the global climate crisis. So in all these different ways, Ghost has become the fundamental aesthetic of this show.”

The production uses multimedia to create a ghost effect, layering audio sources and visuals from the flood.

Performances will take place on November 30th and December 3rd at 1:00pm and December 1st and 2nd at 7:00pm at the Performance Studios (Building D) on the UFV Abbotsford Campus.

Tickets are ‘pay as you go’ and can be booked at eventbrite.ca.

The production has been accompanied by an exhibition of the same name, which runs through December 2nd at the S’eliyemetaxwtexw Art Gallery (room B136) on the Abbotsford campus.

The exhibit includes audiovisual elements, a guestbook for retrospectives, and an overview of archival data researched to support stage productions.

For more information, visit ufv.ca/plays or email theater@ufv.ca.

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