Ian Ross

For the past few months I’ve been immersing myself almost exclusively in Indigenous playwriting. This intense interest was occasioned by developing a deeper interest in my own Cree/Metis heritage. I also have friends who are playwrights and became interested in that form of art. As I was soon to discover, Indigenous plays are a trove of artistic treasure. The author I first read was the late local Winnipeg playwright Ian Ross and his celebrated play FareWel. Farewel is set on a Manitoba reserve and deals with the crisis occasioned when the welfare cheques don't show up and the chief is away in Los Vegas gambling. The characters of the play are forced to take things into their own hands. The characters attempt to establish self government but this is treated more as a farce and source of dark humour. The play shows the economic marginalization of the characters on the reserve. They are always searching for cigarette butts. It could be argued that the drama uses a lot of stereotypes of reservation life but does so possibly in a satirical way. The play is dark and doesn’t have much of a hopeful prognosis of the situation. Once the farewel comes life’s returns to normal. I have had mixed feelings about this play, on the one hand enjoying its humour but also wishing for a more hopeful of better resolution

Comments

  1. ReformationcontinuesOctober 9, 2026 at 2:14 PM

    Excellent Blog post! Very well written. I especially appreciated your balanced approach. Your criticism of Ross’s dark take on residential life balanced the hopelessness that may have dominated the play. Although it may be funny or dark comedy to people, it could be perceived as hurtful. Thank you Brian. Keep it up

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