The Tecumseth and West Gwillimbury Historical Society found a unique “once-in-a-lifetime” way to celebrate its 40th anniversary: with a Temperance Tea and Melodrama, inspired by actual historical events and people in the area.
It started when society president Janine Harris-Wheatley discovered a poster at the Simcoe County Archives advertising a Temperance Tea in Newton Robinson in 1878.
What could be better than to recreate the tea 140 years later at the Tec-We-Gwill Women’s Institute Hall in Newtown Robinson?
And what would go better with a temperance tea than a melodrama highlighting the evils of “demon rum”?
The temperance movement arose in the late 1800s, in response to the proliferation of inns and hotel taverns profiting from the sale of whisky and other alcoholic beverages. The result was a rise in public drunkenness, according to the newspapers of the day.
The historical society noted that in 1880 the Alliston Herald reported it was “quite common to see drunk men and women parading the streets of Alliston.”
Temperance organizations, such as the Good Templar Lodge, were formed to combat the threat posed to public safety, decency and family life — all of which lends itself to melodrama, said June Chambers, who wrote and directed the Victorian-style melodrama Saving Grace, which was performed at the tea.
“I was weaving the history — local names, local customs — into the story. I spent a month writing the script, thinking of what they might say, and what they might do,” said Chambers.
She found a stellar cast, some of them volunteers from the community and the historical society, and others professional performers, storytellers and poets.
Chambers followed the Victorian tradition by engaging the audience — who booed this villainous barkeeper, played by actor Jean-Claude Paquet, and cheered the heroine, Grace, played by Heather Massey.
“It’s a community effort,” said Marlo Alcock, who played temperance leader Letitia Bloomer.
“People were really very generous with their time,” said Chambers.
And this is why the melodrama is a one-time event: it would be too difficult to put together the same cast, but Chambers said she would be delighted if another group wanted to perform the play on their own.
The tea, which included cookies made from Victorian recipes, and the melodrama were enthusiastically received by the public with a sold out performance.
