The Breathing Hole

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Synopsis:

The Breathing Hole is a series of stories set in the Canadian Arctic, that intersect in this epic five-hundred-year journey led by a one-eared polar bear named Angu’řuaq.

Characters:

Casting Note: The play was originally performed with 24 actors, including 3 children. It can be done with less. There are more male characters than female but I urge perspective productions to incorporate non-gender specific casting and to cast as many Inuit and First Nations actors as possible.

ACT I
Hummiktuq, forty-five, widow
Maniilaq, thirty-five, wife of Nukilik
Nukilik, thirty, husband of Maniilaq
Higguk, thirty, husband of Ibřuq
Ibřuq, thirty-five, wife of Higguk
Avinngaq, thirty, angakkut [shaman]
Qiluniq, ten, son of Maniilaq and Nukilik
Atugauq, eight, daughter of Ibřuq and Higguk
Qaakšaattiaq, Qiluniq and Atugauq’s young daughter
Angu’řuaq, polar bear
Ukuannuaq polar bear, Angu’řuaq’s wife

ACT II
Wickers, twenties, midshipman
Bean, twenties, midshipman’s mate
Sir John Franklin, fifty-nine, expedition commander
James Holloway, twenties, second commander of the Erebus Carter, twenties, boatswain
Ařgiaq, twenties, hunter

Paningajak, thirties, hunter
Oliver Morshead, fifty, chief engineer and ice master
Crew #1 and #2 of the Erebus
Angu’řuaq, polar bear
Ukuannuaq, polar bear, Angu’řuaq’s wife

ACT III
Matson Day, thirties, entrepreneur, Oceanus Adventures
Qi’ngaqtuq Donoghue, thirties, biologist
Tuutalik, thirties, security guard at Circumpolar Oil
Roy, twenties, ad agency professional
Larkin, twenties, ad agency professional
Rivera Garcia, sixties, entrepreneur, Oceanus Adventures
Mr. Ryan Griffith-Thomson, forties, entrepreneur, Oceanus Adventures
Mrs. Lori Griffith-Thomson, forties, entrepreneur, Oceanus Adventures
Lee, thirties, entrepreneur, Oceanus Adventures
Dufort Bonnière, thirties, entrepreneur, Oceanus Adventures
Ainsworth, forties, entrepreneur, Oceanus Adventures
Captain Matias, captain of the Aurora Borealis
Steward on the Aurora Borealis
Lucy Larkin’s nine-year-old daughter
Marianne, forty, Lucy’s grandmother
Angu’řuaq, polar bear

First Produced:

Commissioned by the Stratford Festival and performed at their Studio Theatre from July – October, 2017.

Resources:

The Breathing Hole is available through Playwrights Canada Press.

The Breathing Hole can also be accessed at the Canadian Play Outlet.