Inspired by real letters of a couple who left Ireland for Canada in the late 1840s, THE WIND COMING OVER THE SEA is a folk musical using traditional songs to tell a funny and heartbreaking story of emigration.
Keywords: emigration, immigration, Ireland, Canada, Ontario, nineteenth century, letters, love, marriage, family
Produced at the Blyth Festival Theatre, Blyth ON, 2025
Genre: Drama, Historical
Acts: 2
Run time: 145 minutes
Suitable for students 14+
Cast size: 6 - 26 actors
Male roles: 3
Female roles: 3
Casting notes: In premiere production, five of the cast of six played instruments, but instrumental accompaniment of the traditional songs in this show is a matter for the musical director and could range from separate musicians to a backing track to a capella.
'The best original offering at the Blyth Festival since 2017… heartbreakingly sad and tragic in one minute and uproariously funny in the next… A masterpiece.' - Huron Citizen
‘A beautifully tender, unflinching look at the promise and peril of emigration, stitched together like a warm quilt... Overflowing with emotionally engaging traditional ballads and live Irish folk music, a new work of clarity and compassion.’ - Frontmezzjunkies.com
'Equal parts heart-warming and tragic, as Donoghue takes an unflinching look at an ongoing piece of Canada’s story.' - Kincardine Record
‘The heartbreaking, elegiac play by best-selling Canadian author Emma Donoghue (“Room”) marks yet another triumph for the Blyth Festival… She turns their untutored eloquence into monologues of piercing intimacy and longing. Donoghue also makes liberal use of Irish music (she has described The Wind Coming Over the Sea as a “folk musical”) recognizing that music was one of the few things cash-strapped and desperate immigrants could bring with them from home… The device works brilliantly.' - OntarioStage.com
'Masterfully weaves historical authenticity with contemporary resonance .. transforms their intimate letters into a sweeping narrative that speaks powerfully to our present moment. ... The Wind Coming over the Sea soars through the magic of its script, songs and sincerity. For the show is also a celebration of the power and possibility of immigration: a paean to taking bold risks ... a toe-tapping, heart-stirring reminder that every immigrant’s journey weaves another thread into our collective tapestry.' - Sesaya Arts Magazine (Toronto)