Abstract
Someone Between is a one-woman show based on the life experiences of Chantria Tram, co-founder of Apsara Theatre Company and a first-generation Canadian. After escaping the turmoil of Cambodia in 1986, Chantria Tram and her family found amnesty in a Thai refugee camp. They stayed there for three years before being plunged into the Canadian mosaic. Upon arrival, Tram faced not only the challenges of any child her age, but also those of a new immigrant, adjusting to a new culture while trying to negotiate the demands of her parents who expected her to be their “perfect Cambodian daughter.” Tram uses oral history as the source of her text. The play’s dramatic arc is constructed of short snippets, memories, and stories drawn from interviews and Tram’s own recollections. Someone Between was first performed in May 2009 in Montreal and it was subsequently remounted for Centaur Theatre’s 13th Annual Wildside Theatre Festival in 2010. The play will continue to evolve in 2010, with a creative residency and performance at the Maison de la culture de Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. From there, it will be performed in different venues throughout Canada. This article, consisting of excerpts from interviews conducted with the playwright and performer, Chantria Tram, delves into her creative process, the play’s connection to her family and to her search for identity, as well as the use of oral history performance in creating dialogue between communities and generations.
