A cornerstone of Canadian theatre returned to the stage Saturday night as Anne Chislett’s Quiet in the Land opened at the Blyth Festival. First premiering at Blyth in 1981, the play quickly became a national success, garnering a Governor General’s Award and being produced across the country, including a 2003 production at Stratford Festival.

Directed by Severn Thompson and staged outdoors at Blyth’s picturesque Harvest Stage, the production brings fresh urgency to a timeless story.

Quiet in the Land is an ensemble drama set in a community of Amish pacifists who immigrated to Canada in hopes of a peaceful life. But by 1917, in the thick of World War I, those hopes are tested. As national pressure to enlist in the war intensifies, the community finds itself vilified by their neighbours—accused of cowardice and betrayal for refusing to take up arms, and divided within, as younger members begin to question tradition and consider change.

Blyth Festival Artistic Director Gil Garratt, who also appears in a small role in the production, says he chose to program Quiet in the Land because, despite being written over 40 years ago, its central tension—between the rise of individual freedom and the needs of the collective—feels more relevant than ever.

Says Garratt, "Quiet in the Land reminds us what can happen to our families, to our communities when we turn away from each other in the name of personal convictions. The play doesn’t offer easy answers—but it invites us to sit with the questions…can we see each other? Can we hear each other? What does it really take to live in peace together? It’s just such a beautiful play. A portrait of a whole community. Tour de force performances across the board.”

Playing the role of Hannah Bauman is Michelle Fisk, who returns to the Blyth Festival for the first time since her appearance in 2010’s Bordertown Café. Fisk's credits include appearances at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, the Grand Theatre in London, the Shaw Festival and the Stratford Festival. Randy Hughson, a Blyth Festival favourite whose finely nuanced performances have long been a staple at both the Blyth Festival and the Stratford Festival, plays opposite Fisk in the role of Christy Bauman.

Quiet in the Land had its official opening on July 5 at the Blyth Festival's Harvest Stage and runs until August 23. Tickets are available at blythfestival.com or by calling 1-877-862-5984.