RIDGE, by Brendan McLeod, performed by The Fugitives

 

“The best theatre piece about World War One since Billy Bishop Goes to War. ”— Jerry Wasserman, Vancouver Plays

“Poignant and sobering” — The Globe and Mail (Top 10 Arts Pick, 2020)

“This show is simply brilliant.” — The CBC

 

Often called the “battle that made Canada,” Vimy Ridge resulted in over 10,000 Canadian casualties. Through direct storytelling, verbatim theatre, and live music, Brendan McLeod examines varying perspectives around the battle, while drawing parallels to other formative events in our nation’s past. Featuring inventive musical interpretations of WWI soldier songs, Ridge probes difficult yet necessary questions about how and why we grieve. A vivid, kinetic ride through history, as well as an intimate, personal examination of our connection to the past, Ridge is a visceral work that passionately argues against the exploitation of young lives.

 

THE FUGITIVES: A Canadian folk staple, The Fugitives were formed in 2005 and are releasing their 7th album in 2026. They’ve been nominated for a JUNO, as well as 7 Canadian Folk Music Awards, including Best Vocal Group, Best Ensemble, and Best Songwriter. Having toured heavily across Canada, the UK, and the EU for two decades, they’ve been awarded the Best Folk Album of the Year by the German Music Critics’ Association, performed at Glastonbury, and most major folk festivals across Canada.