Silence: Mabel and Alexander Graham Bell

6 Actors: 4 women (20 – 60s), 2 men (40-60s)
Two Acts
Running time: 120 minutes

Alexander Graham Bell connected people around the world by inventing the telephone. But it was of little use to his wife, Mabel, who was deaf. Written from Mabel’s point of view, the story begins in Nova Scotia as Mabel reflects back on her life with Bell. Together they inspired and challenged each other to become strong, original forces for good. A beautiful (and true) love story about how we communicate.

“Silence had me in tears the first time I read it. Playwright Trina Davies uses a powerful staging device – silence – in a way that will leave you breathless. How lucky we are to see it first.” – DENNIS GARNHUM, Artistic Director, The Grand

World Premiere January 2018 – Directed by Peter Hinton at The Grand Theatre, London, ON; Mainstage National Arts Centre, Ottawa, October 2018

National Arts Centre Podcast (video and/or audio) about Silence can be found here. 

Silence is now available for purchase through Playwrights Canada Press by clicking here.

 

“Silence is a welcome addition to the catalogue of Canadian theatre…a lovely portrait of a unique relationship and a delightfully entertaining, interesting and challenging show I expect to see staged across this country and beyond” London Free Press

 “A flawless interpretation of Mabel’s mind…You are within it, listening, watching, and feeling the vibrations of sound waves around you.” Stratford Festival Reviews

“While Londoners are lucky to see it first, Silence is such a beautiful, thoughtful play that one hopes it will go on to further productions across the country and beyond.” Stage Door

“If one of the intents of theatre – of any art, for that matter – is to give us entry into worlds we’d otherwise never inhabit, Silence: Mabel and Alexander Graham Bell succeeds splendidly.” artsfile. Ottawa

Silence is the inaugural production of the COMPASS New Play Development Program. Originally commissioned and developed through FUSE: The Enbridge New Play Development Program at Theatre Calgary.