The Governor’s Visit Continues at Lynnwood

Jacob McGivern will play the role of James Kent in Lynnwood’s production of The Governor’s Visit Continues. The play, set in 1874, revolves around the Governor General of Canada’s visit to Duncan Campbell’s residence at 21 Lynnwood Avenue. 

Lisa Timpf

Advocate Contributor

The notion of traveling through time, portrayed by works like H.G. Wells’ 1895 story The Time Machine, has long been an appealing fantasy.

Lynnwood Arts may not have perfected time travel, but they’re offering the next best thing: a first-hand glimpse at what life might have been like during an important time in Simcoe’s history.

From Feb. 20-23, Lynnwood will be the site for The Governor’s Visit Continues, a play set in 1874. The play revolves around the Governor General’s visit to Simcoe, then a small town with a population around 1,900.

Lynnwood Arts is located at 21 Lynnwood Avenue, in the building that was once the home of Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Campbell. Duncan Campell, as Postmaster of Norfolk County, was one of the most important people in town. He was the Commissioner for Crown Lands, the Queen’s representative in Simcoe, and was also on the Board of the Gore Bank, the only bank in town at the time.

In 1874, the Campbells played host to Lord and Lady Dufferin. Lord Dufferin was the Governor General of Canada, and he and his wife were the most famous, and most recognized, couple in the country, according to Jan Rainey, gallery assistant at Lynnwood. Rainey is both playwright and director of The Governor’s Visit Continues.

Attendees at the play will get a chance to “peek into the lives of people at the elegant reception welcoming the Governor General,” says Rainey. Ticket-holders will begin at the coach house on the property, where they will be met by a guide. They will then be escorted to the front door to begin the evening’s adventure.

During the play, the audience will see, and listen in on, interactions between the invited gusts as well as the maids and footmen who are cleaning, polishing, and shining every surface to prepare for the big event. The play’s cast includes 40 actors clad in period costume, all volunteering their time.

In researching the play, Rainey consulted material from the Norfolk County Archives, as well as local history books. Waterford and Townsend: A Double Portrait was, she noted, a useful resource.

Though grounded in fact, the play is also partly “pure entertainment,” Rainey says. Those who attended last year’s play The Governor’s Visit needn’t be concerned about duplication. The Governor’s Visit Continues portrays events later the same evening, so show-goers will see new material in this year’s play.

Tickets are available for ordering through a link on Lynnwood’s website, lynnwoodarts.ca. Tickets cost just under $40, plus fees.

Seating is provided, though last year’s demand meant some standing room. The show, which lasts an hour and fifteen minutes, offers start times of 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 8 p.m. Participants will move through the house as the show progresses.

Those with mobility issues who require use of an elevator to travel between floors are advised to book the 8 p.m. showtime, as the elevator will only be available for that time slot.

The Governor’s Visit Continues is a fundraiser for Lynnwood Arts. Last year’s show sold out, says Rainey, and ticket sales for this year’s event have been brisk. She hopes for another good turnout, and encourages people to “come out and support the performing arts and Lynnwood at the same time.”