The evening was brisk and we could smell autumn on the air. The harbour was quiet and we paced around the docked vessels, wondering if anyone was going to show up. We didn’t really know anyone in Hubbards and with the days getting so much shorter, our evening performances no longer held their warm summer appeal. In the quiet of the small, community amphitheatre, we seriously considered the possibility of ending the tour early. We had finished all of our contracted gigs and were now very far from home performing exclusively by donation. If the summer had come to an end, was it worth continuing?

There is always a real fear that an audience will be small. Having only a handful of faces to perform to is daunting; a crowd is much friendlier. The momentum of their collective witnessing is a tide that carries the show along. A small audience is tasked with a larger challenge - that of listening directly. And we, the performers, are challenged in turn to speak directly to them. This could be a very valuable relationship, one of intimacy and vulnerability, but the discomfort of it can be overwhelming.

It was now 6:30pm. We took our places behind the stage, ready to receive any spectator that might show up. The empty amphitheatre was already growing dark. Then, in a rush, people began to arrive. First, a family from up the hill, then another from the docks below. Another group rolled in on their bicycles. Like a swelling tide, dozens of people began to pour into the space. We now looked out at a full house, the excitement vibrating through the air. We took this as a clear message from whatever forces were at play that we weren’t finished with the tour just yet.

Our performance in Hubbards marked a full month of touring. It was also the end of one of our busiest weeks yet.

Dartmouth - Halifax - Tantallon - Hubbards

We had been featured in two festivals and had juggled multiple venues, bad weather and long performance days. We were tired, to say the least. The many days of travel had left our bodies sore and our hearts longing for the comforts of home. And yet, the thrill of performing in new spaces continued to keep us afloat. Experiencing magical evenings like the one in Hubbards is why we departed on this tour in the first place.

It was hard not to feel excited about approaching Halifax. Not only were there cafes and bars, bookstores and used clothing stores, but friends and fellow artists who were anticipating out arrival. On top of that, our show was being co-hosted by both Mayworks and the Halifax Fringe which made us feel like we were apart of something larger. We had four shows scheduled in the HRM, each at various locations in public parks. We happened to be performing on Labour Day on which we had scheduled two performances. We were dreaming of a buzzing summer city festival vibe.

I can recall the first time we rolled into a town with our circus in tow. It was early August in Antigonish, our crisp flags flying proudly behind us with the words “circus” and “puppet show” displayed brightly on our flanks. Our vision was to make the act of getting from place to place a performance in itself, something similar to the travelling circus caravans of old fables.

When we arrived in Dartmouth, our flags were tattered and our set dusty and soiled. The word “circus” was now almost indecipherable and our “puppet show” sign was abandoned long ago. We were a different kind of spectacle, one of fatigue, like a marathon runner pulling into the final turns of a race.

Our first show was in the Dartmouth commons. Our hosts, Mayworks Kjipuktuk/Halifax: Festival of Working People and the Arts, is a festival that usually takes place in May, but due to the COVID outbreaks this past spring, had been rescheduled to the Labour Day weekend. We were part of a series of events that included everything from concerts to boardgames. Having discussed this collaboration early in our development stage, we had been inspired to incorporate the theme of labour into the show to reflect on the spirit of the festival. This in turn had become a central plot point in our narrative, giving our performances in Dartmouth extra significance. We enjoyed one sunny afternoon in the commons with a wonderful audience full of familiar faces.

Image donated by Mayworks Kjipuktuk/Halifax: Festival of Working People and the Arts. Photo credit: Foundry Design

Labour Day came, and so did the rain. Our plan to perform two shows in one day had to be canceled. Instead, we sought comfort indoors with friends, catching up on the long months leading up to our arrival.

The Halifax Fringe was underway and we were honoured to make a brief appearance at the Cambridge Battery in Point Pleasant Park. With so little time in town, we weren’t able to enjoy much of the festival, but were pleased to meet several new artists who came out to see the show. As the rain clouds cleared, we were packing up and heading out to the south shore for the next leg of our journey.

After a short ride out of the city, we joined up with the Community Enterprise Centre in St. Margaret’s Bay for their annual Share the Harvest festival. This unique event brought together local growers to sell their produce at cost with all proceeds going to the food bank. The market was accompanied by an art exhibition, as well as a performance of our show. As we set up for an afternoon performance, a strong wind picked up, threatening to scatter the puppets across the parking lot. In a last minute effort we and the organizers approached a local restaurant across the square, The Rustic Crust, to see if we could take shelter on their patio. They agreed, and opened their bar just for us, welcoming our matinee audience with drinks and fresh pizza. The afternoon was a wonderful example of local businesses and community supporting each other and the arts.

That same afternoon, we quickly packed up the show and headed down the shore for our evening performance at the Hubbards Community Waterfront. Following the old rail tracks, we ducked in and out of the coastal communities, arriving just in time for the sunset.

This week takes us almost to our furtherest destination before we loop back east for our journey home. With the end in site, we feel the turning of the season and the transition out of what has been an incredible adventure.

Week 4 - Halifax / South Shore

Week 3 - Colchester to Hants