Divining Spirits Part of the 2026 Gleanings series "Heroes & Villains" at The Gladstone Theatre

9th Hour Theatre Company Presents

Divining Spirits

Dramatic staged reading set in the after life about a fictional encounter between Canadian contemporary historical figures Duncan Campbell Scott and Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce

Are heroes and villains a social construct? Do whom we consider heroes and villains change over time? Who gets to decide? Is it fair to judge the values of a different time with today’s values? How will we be judged a century from now? Divining Spirits is an Ottawa story. Public policy is a necessary instrument of government that has real consequences for real people. It is usually shaped by a rational approach to the technology, economics, and social concerns of a particular issue. But what about the personal beliefs of the individuals developing that policy, whether religious, irrational, or otherwise? Or their personal emotions, ego, or experiences? What gets translated from the body, mind, and soul of individuals into what is considered “the common good” at any historical moment? Winners and losers and collateral damage are at stake. In this context, Divining Spirits conjures up two notable Canadian contemporaries of the past, Duncan Scott and Peter Bryce, both of whom are laid to rest at the Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa; one the architect of policy (residential schools), the other a whistleblower. Heroes of yesteryear become villains today. One man was a founder of the Ottawa Historical Society, the other a member of the Ottawa Little Theatre. The most cultured and progressive of one century often become the pariahs of the next. Both men were Christians, high achievers, and victims of tragic circumstances in their lives. This 9th Hour original play imagines a posthumous, fictional and fractious encounter between two leaders who shaped the Canada we know today.

Gleanings is a public forum for nuanced discussion about complex ideas and issues relating to arts and culture, theology, and the social sciences. The first half of the evening is a dramatic staged reading. After a brief intermission, the second half of the evening is a facilitated discussion with some of the artists, special guests, and the audience. Find out more at GleaningsForum.ca