2011 RUN SOLD OUT in 4 days!

“Do I catch the fish or do the fish catch me?”

- Canning Line Song

A show for the entire family!

Click here for show photos

Some Audience Comments from 2011

"Kudos to the performers, band and all of those people behind the scenes for a memorable, creative, thought provoking performance.  Many thanks for a wonderful evening!"                                                    

"I attended your play last night and I must say it was OUTSTANDING!  Your technique- moving the audience- was brilliant but more importantly, you “spoke” to many very difficult topics (racism, Indian children and residential schools and internment of Japanese) in a way that informed and elicited empathy without being divisive.  I felt you brought us TOGETHER as a community around these topics.  Done badly, this could have resulted in polarizing the community.

I was so touched by this play…. Thank you so much."

"The play was wonderfully done and we are so proud of the work that was exhibited. Thank you for your trust and support in making a lovely evening for my guests from Toronto. (they were very impressed!)

Have a great run!"

"I would recommend this performance to anyone who appreciates creative and moving theater, and in particular history buffs with an appreciation for art, and some background in the BC canning industry.

The Britannia Heritage Shipyard is a historical treasure and a perfect backdrop for Salmon Row. Please continue to support works of this nature.

Short story: Creative and honest. I wouldn’t change a thing. If you have the opportunity, see it. (Bring mosquito repellant). The performance begins at dark."

Employing close to 20 actors, stilted characters, large masks, original songs and a live 4 piece band, Salmon Row tells the story of a place of plenty, the mouth of the Fraser River and the creatures and peoples who subsisted, thrived and profited from the seemingly endless resource of salmon which they found there.  As word of this treasure trove of fish and the economic opportunity it offered spread throughout the world, the river became populated by thousands of people from as far away as Haida Gwaii, China, Japan and Europe.  This caused the delicately balanced realm of Eagle, Bear and Aboriginal people to be brutally thrust into the world of modern industry with gigantic canneries processing millions of fish in one season.

Our saga follows the stories of some of these people - First Nations and Chinese and Japanese immigrants - as they are caught in the nets of big business on the riverbank. This compelling and vibrant piece of theatre explores issues of immigration, ethnic conflict, labour history and memory.  This is also the story of the salmon and the constancy and mystery of its journey as it meets the need and greed of its human predators.  Whether or not this story will be ongoing remains to be seen. 

Taking place on site at the Britannia Heritage Shipyard in the Steveston area of south Richmond, the audience will move with the show and actors from one site to another, becoming an integral part of the show. Mortal Coil's signature use of stilts, puppets, music, masks and actors bring this play to compelling life.

Join us nightly between August 15th and September 1, 2013 (excluding Monday August 19 and 26) in Steveston to experience this compelling piece of theatre and history. Shows begin at 8pm, rain or shine. Check back here for ticket information, which will be announced here as soon as it becomes available.

We'll see you there!

• Appropriate for children 10 years and up
• 90 minutes
• No intermission
• Rain or shine