The Occupation of Heather Rose

Written by: Wendy Lill, 1984 

(C) Playwrights Guild of Canada

Length: 1h 20min, without intermission

Warnings: rated 14yrs+, language warning and

           mature themes  (substance abuse, some sexuality).

Synopsis of play:

Heather Rose is a young twenty-something nurse from Southern Ontario, recently graduated from nursing school and recruited to work in a remote part of Northern Canada. Eight months after Nurse Rose ventures out to Snake Lake, the reserve at which she is to be the lone on-site medical staff, she finds herself back in Ontario in a government training room, preparing herself to meet “Miss Jackson” for a debriefing of her time spent at Snake Lake.  The play opens with Heather arriving apprehensively for the meeting, and bit by bit, as she waits, she reveals more and more of her story to her audience. The audience becomes her jury as she earnestly pleads her case through sarcasm, anger, and occasional tears.

Note about the language/sexuality warning:

The language content is progressively more intense as the play goes on, as Heather’s optimism and morality wear thin.  It is not recommended for audiences younger than 14, as much of the purpose of the use of language in Heather’s “deterioration” may be lost on younger viewers. If you are unsure if this play is suitable for your audience, please contact us with your concerns. This show has been performed for grade 11 and 12 drama students – both students and the teachers found it acceptably appropriate.