Female-led production bedazzles crowd with its bold play! Written by Jenna Turk, “Remnants” is based on The Triangle garment factory fire in 1911 which killed more than 100 people.
The wailing woes, screams, yells, and shrieks manifest themselves in the form of helpless young maidens who perished in The Triangle garment factory fire in a dramatic play, “Remnants” by Jenna Turk at the LSPU Hall. The intricately woven storyline sheds light over labor rights issues – much of which is still prevalent today.
Themes of child slavery, abuse, and subjugation were central to the play. Set in a time where labor unions were finding their ground, the play sheds light on the challenges and hurdles they had to overcome and how such unions relieved a lot of workers from their worse-off conditions in hopes for a better future.
“Remnants” rekindles the agony set alight in 1911 and depicts that the tragedy, contrary to popular opinion, is still ongoing. One hundred forty-six workers lost their lives in The Triangle garment factory fire, marking it as the deadliest event in the US before the 9/11 attacks. One would assume that drastic measures would have been put in place to prevent such incidents, but is that the reality? In 2012, a garment factory fire killed 260 people in Pakistan and a similar tragedy in 2013 cost more than 1000 people their lives in Bangladesh, most of which were again, impoverished women. The pains and sufferings of the workers back then, unbeknownst to many people, are still experienced by thousands of workers today.
Jenna Turk’s “Remnants” aims to give voice to the lost women!
The play begins with blood-curdling cries filling the hall as the ablaze young women strive to escape the blazing scorches of the fire. This act sets the dark tone for the rest of the play, hinting to the audience that the worst is yet to come. At the centre of the play are four figures: Danijela (Vanessa Cardoso Whelan), the keyholder and the matron of the workspace; Esther (Nabila Qureshi), the suffragette struggling to support her family; Anne (Nora Barker), the hopeless romantic trying to find her place; and Lena (Karen Monie), the boss’ young rebellious daughter. Anguish, sorrow, and resent plague the workers as they fight desperately, each in their capacity, trying to find their voice.
Danijela is the archetypal matron: strict, harsh, and stone-cold. Her job is to keep all the workers in line. A glint of childish curiosity is squashed with the monotonous chant of “sew, sew, sew…” Esther, though an advocate for labor rights, is unable to take charge when the opportunity arises, showing that she is someone who abides by the rules, no matter how wrong that may be, and is guilt-ridden over it. Anne is exploited by Lena’s dad who took advantage of her hopeless romantics. Lena is the decorated child who wants to find a place of her own, far away from the shadows of her father. Throughout the play, the child-workers proceed with their childish antics, poking their nose here and there and playing around whilst the matron struggles to maintain order in the factory.
The play culminates in the stage bursting into flames with the smoke choking the women, and the heart-stopping thump of the charred bodies dropping to the ground. Shrieks, screams, squeals, everything merely comes to an abrupt halt! The once-lively stage begins to resemble a morgue as the projector reels in footage of falling bodies.
Ruth Lawrence did a marvelous job in realising Jenna Turk’s vision and portraying it in the best artistic flair without impeding the seriousness of the play’s message. She set the right tone from the beginning as well as designed the stage to deliver the actual impact of the play in the end.
Vanessa Cardoso Whelan, Nabila Qureshi, Karen Monie, and Nora Barker, all delivered a phenomenal performance and did an excellent job in bringing their characters to life. The synergy amongst the quartet echoed volumes of countless rehearsals and a deep understanding of their roles.
Throughout the play, each character delivers a monologue revealing to the audience a bit of their history, their motives and what their personality entails. Vivid video footage projected onto the silk screens turns those moments into reality and provide an immersive theatrical experience.
Paradoxically, the silent moment at the end of the play provides the resounding voice to all the silenced women. They may be gone, but their echoes will go on!
