BEAVER DREAMS/
la fièvre du castor
by Maggie Winston
Nanaimo Fringe, Victoria Fringe, Vancouver Fringe Festivals
Produced by Lost & Found Puppet Co | SUMMER 2017
Beaver Dreams tells a story about a family of beavers and a family of humans living in the heart of the Quebecois forest. The beavers go about their daily life; gnawing on wood and building dams. The humans try to go about their typical summer chalet activities; sun tanning on the dock, dancing in the moon light. But when the dam raises the water level over the dock’s edge there is a perpetual struggle between construction and destruction, between the animal and its adversaries. Both the beavers and the humans experience the same nightmare depicting commercial development that threatens their corner of paradise. What if the beavers thought the same as us?
“Fringe shows don’t get any more Canadian than this: it’s bilingual, it’s set on a lake with a cabin, and the stars are our country’s most industrious rodents. Combining animation, interviews, live action, and puppets, Maggie Winston and Mika Laulainen tell the story of a multigenerational battle between beavers and humans at Winston’s family cabin in Quebec. The play manages to be both deeply personal and deeply wacky as the beavers repeatedly rebuild their dam; the range of puppet techniques and physical playfulness never stops surprising. The performers are clearly having a blast, and it’s infectious: this is a family-friendly show (my 10-year-old son loved it) full of fun you can sink your teeth into.”
“Lost & Found Puppet Co.’s “shtick you can sink your teeth into” is fifty minutes of pure joy that will leave you longing for more beaver tales. Mika Laulainen and Maggie Winston make a statement with their oversized teeth and original use of fur, but it’s their incredible timing, high-energy, and ability to involve the audience that leaves a lasting impression. The duo is big and bold, but in a way that doesn’t overshadow all the details that make this show even more of a standout.”
“
The Lost and Found Puppet Company deserves first prize for creativity in this delightful show about an ongoing battle between beavers and summer visitors to the Laurentian Mountains near Montreal. The two young women, one from Montreal, one from Vancouver, are both dressed as beavers and come complete with trilling sounds which are not any language but are completely understandable. [...] The show is educational, fun, and well worth seeing!”
Created by Maggie Winston
Designed by Maggie Winston
Video Animation by Molly Winston
Performed by Maggie Winston & Mika Laulainen