It’s May 1945, liberated Holland. The war is over, but because of a shortage of troop ships the Canadian Army remains in the Netherlands. Emma, an independent Dutch woman, meets Alex, a young Canadian private from rural Alberta. Emma has lived through five harrowing years of German occupation that ended in the ‘hunger winter’ of 1944-45, and wonders how she can put her life back together after everything she’s experienced and everything she’s lost. Emma sees in Alex the chance for a new life, to leave the expectations of her mother, the village and the church, to leave the horrors of the war. But she has to make a choice—to make peace with what’s happened in the past, or to flee to a future in Canada.

Born in Amsterdam and raised all over Canada, David van Belle is an Alberta-based director, actor, playwright and theatre deviser. He has been Co-Artistic Director of Ghost River Theatre, an ensemble member of One Yellow Rabbit and playwright-in-residence at Alberta Theatre Projects. Recent works include The Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst, and The Highest Step in the World (created with Eric Rose for Ghost River Theatre and Alberta Theatre Projects) and Tomorrow’s Child (co-created with Matthew Waddell and Eric Rose for Ghost River Theatre). His other plays include BUZZ JOB! The True Story of Cal Cavendish with Kris Demeanor, The Invisible Project, and Of Fighting Age, created with Col Cseke, Christopher Duthie and Anton de Groot. David is fascinated by people’s lives and the ways in which they live them. He shares a beautiful life with his wife Vanessa and his daughter Wren.

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