This short film is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to award-winning director, writer and composer Des McAnuff. Set to the song The Wind and the Rain, it begins with Des unaccompanied and builds to a grand finale in true Shakespearean tradition. A tribute to a time of limited means and creative ingenuity, the piece blends film and theatrical language to create a surreal mise-en-scène.
Produced by the National Film Board of Canada in co-operation with the National Arts Centre and the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation on the occasion of the 2012 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards.
Ages 13 to 15
Arts Education - Drama
Arts Education - Music
English Language Arts - Poetry
Media Education - Film and Video Production
Discuss Des McAnuff’s importance to the performing arts in Canada, and consider why the film provides so little specific information about his career. Evaluate the film’s commentary about the role of performers. Have students brainstorm about the significance of the film’s costumes and set. Identify the Shakespearean reference in the song and have students set other Shakespearean texts to music. Organize a class trip to a theatrical production; study each of the roles involved, including backstage crew, writers and directors.