At Canada’s National Arts Centre arts education is a core priority. We believe strongly in the positive experience that students gain when exposed to live theatre
These NAC English Theatre Study Guides are written with several intentions in mind: firstly, to aid teachers in their preparation prior to taking their students to a matinee performance at the NAC; secondly, to encourage teachers across Canada to use the guides as a teaching tool in their classrooms; for students themselves who wish to explore deeper in the world of the play ; and finally, as interesting adjuncts for our general audience who might wish to learn more about the creation and background of our productions.
Vimy study guide writer Christopher Schultz
Vimy photos courtesy of the Canadian War Museum
Play Synopsis of Vimy
A two-act play set in a field hospital in France after the battle of Vimy Ridge.
Background
In the battle for Vimy Ridge (April 9-12, 1917), the First World War Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties, approximately 10% of its total participants. At the time, troop morale in the allied armies was becoming shaky: despite repeated attempts, no decisive victories had been achieved by the allies. Vimy was the bloodiest single event in Canadian history.
