In a Word...Erin Brandenberg on BOBLO

Audiences seem to respond to our work, but it seems to be more of a personal connection.

by Christopher Douglas

Erin Brandenburg, creator of festival hits like Reesor, Pelee and Petrichor, ventures into a new direction with her latest piece, BOBLO. Co-created with her partner, Andrew Penner of The Sunparlor Players, BOBLO plays for the next two weeks at The Great Hall Black Box Theatre. Inspired by personal memories and collected stories about the Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park, their collective, Kitchenband, has created a unique way to take an audience back in time while staying in the present, to pay tribute to a place that is gone but not forgotten through songs and remembrances, photos and field recordings. When asked about how this ghost story came to life, Erin had a few things to say.

CHARPO: Shows seem to require an awfully long workshop period these days. How do you feel about the years it can sometimes take to have a fully realized performance before a paying audience?

BRANDENBURG: This is the first show we've developed in this way – with a two year period dedicated to development before presenting it as a co-production with The Theatre Centre. Having the time to experiment and try out ideas, or even having the time to really delve into an idea and throw it out if it doesn't work, has been really important for this project. But it’s also a challenge to sustain the creative drive over such a long time period. With this show, I don't think we could have done it in a shorter time period - we were really fortunate to have a residency at The Theatre Centre to allow for that time.

When Andrew and I went back to see the island a few years ago, we were surprised to see so much of the old amusement park still on the island, but in ruins.

CHARPO: Inspiration often comes from the weirdest places.  What got you thinking about an amusement park as a basis for a show?

BRANDENBURG: Bob-Lo was an amusement park and a place I grew up going to every summer until it shut down in 1993.  When Andrew and I went back to see the island a few years ago, we were surprised to see so much of the old amusement park still on the island, but in ruins.  The show was inspired by that sensation of memory intersecting with the passage of time, and change and the loss of a childhood place.

CHARPO: Often your work blends a rural local and crafty aesthetic with naturalistic dialogue and an alternative folk-rock score. Is the upcoming show similar in that sense?

BRANDENBURG: This is more of a live music performance, with a crafty aesthetic and naturalistic dialogue and ridiculous stylized dialogue and movement.

CHARPO: It feels like your publicly displayed work often hits a nerve with critics and they write glowing reviews. Do you find audiences react similarly or are they sometimes put off by your style or content?

BRANDENBURG: Audiences seem to respond to our work, but it seems to be more of a personal connection. We do well with word of mouth, but up to this point our shows have been presented at festivals with very short runs and so this sometimes doesn't translate into huge audience numbers or runaway sold out shows. I'm happy the work hits a nerve with critics and hopefully more people will get to see our work.  

CHARPO: What are your plans for after December, post-BOBLO?  

BRANDENBURG: Sleeping and hanging out with baby Jack.

CHARPO: Speaking of baby Jack, do you find it a struggle to balance your creative side with your personal one? Does being an artist interfere or inform your family life?

BRANDENBURG: It is a challenge. We've been so lucky to have supportive family and friends who have helped with childcare and support during rehearsals. I think being an artist is a part of who I am and so it is a part of our family life. Finding a way to make room for both is an ongoing challenge but also enriches both so much.

BOBLO runs to December 2