OCTOBER 2011

The genesis and evolution of True Nature

Suzanne Shugar chats with playwright Colleen Curran about her new comedy

True Nature production poster

Design: Steve Ross

Suzanne ShugarWhen did you discover that writing was part of your true nature?

Colleen CurranI’m the daughter of Pat Curran, sportswriter extraordinaire who covered The Montreal Canadiens during their Golden Years. I’m the sister of Peggy Curran columnist for the Montreal Gazette. Sometimes we would see our father typing his stories at the kitchen table and the next day they would appear in the newspaper. So writing for an audience always made sense to us. I guess you could say we’re doin’ what comes naturally. My theatrical writing bent comes from being of Irish descent and the first born child of Katie McGlynn Curran. Some of her many claims to fame were having gotten 98 in Elocution and playing three roles in the same play at Hochelaga Convent.

SSHow did you stumble upon the unknown Mary Anning at such a young age?

CCAs a kid I was fascinated by archeology, particularly Howard Carter who discovered King Tut’s Tomb. A public speaking speech I made at my Tara Hall elementary school was about Charles Darwin - no wonder that a picture of a little girl finding a dinosaur got my attention.

Colleen Curran and her friend Jane Liddiard

SSWhen did you write True Nature?

CCSome years ago, there was a competition offering fabulous commission money from The Magic Theater in California for play proposals that dealt with science and technology. At the time I was tormented by technology (the computer) so I came up with Robin and her woes and Anna who was an expert on Mary Anning. My title then was just awful – Fossil Fuels. I was a Finalist but no commission money because the judges felt that it wasn’t technological enough, such a big surprise, I know. They did tell me that the scientists on the panel were very interested in the story of Mary Anning because they had never heard of her. I decided that her play time was due even though I had no idea that the 200th Anniversary of her first major discovery was approaching. This was a lovely surprise as I got going on the work and after many drafts and workshops and a public reading, there was that wonderful day in January when Roy Surette called and said that he wanted to put True Nature in his 2011-2012 season.

Lyme Regis on the Dorset Coast of England

SSWhen did you return to Lyme Regis?

CCThis May. This time when I went to Lyme Regis Museum it was packed and a happening place. I seem to remember being the only one there in the 90’s. There were lots of kids doing activities, they had to find answers in the displays to such questions as, “What was the name of Mary Anning’s dog?” A father said to his son, “You aren’t going to like finding out what happened to him. He met a sad end.” I also did a pilgrimage to the Natural History Museum in London and went to the Mary Anning wall, which has many of her finds even The Dragon in the Rocks. A young girl passed by and said, “Oh Mary Anning! We’re studying her in science!”

SSThe unsung hero of palaeontology is finally getting some of the recognition she deserves. Thank you Colleen.

Suzanne Shugar is a Montreal journalist, broadcaster and Centaur Theatre's PR and Web Writer