The Reckoning of Violet Jessop, the true story of an unsinkable woman, survivor of the Titanic and other disasters comes to Intrepid Theatre Dec. 3 to 6.  This one-woman show about a stewardess and nurse who spent her entire working career on the high seas is written and performed by Jenny Abel with direction and dramaturgy by Tim Sutherland.

Jenny is a Vancouver based actor, originally from Victoria.  Classically trained in Toronto she has acted in dozens of professional and independent theatre, film and TV productions.  Locally she has worked with Kaleidoscope, Story Theatre, Itsazoo, Langham Court, Belfry 101, and the Parliamentary Players.  Tim holds a Diploma in Theatre Performance, a BFA in Theatre (directing) and a Masters in Theatre History.  He has helped develop several new plays for the stage including Famous Puppet Death Scenes for The Old Trout Puppet Workshop and a reading of Julia Mackey’s Jake’s Gift.

You might have seen Jenny playing Violet with Victoria’s Story Theatre in 2007 at the Royal B.C. Museum’s Titanic Exhibit, sharing stories with thousands of visitors a day for four months.  Many people approached Jenny and said that she must keep on telling Violet’s unknown story. 

Jenny would never have written a play if it was not for Violet’s inspiring story.  Writing terrified Jenny as a child.  Jenny grew up with a severe learning disability and did not learn to read until very late in elementary school after many years of intensive tutoring.  Her learning disability has given her a great determination to test the limits of her capabilities.  After many drafts, she and Tim now have a one hour show with many characters and several dialects.

 Jenny gave a reading of The Reckoning of Violet Jessop in April, 2008 in London, England.  While there she, along with Tim, visited Jessop’s grave and went to Southampton to see the location where the Titanic set sail.  The play was work-shopped in Wells, BC this summer and premiered at the Sunset Theatre.  The play ran successfully at The Vancouver Maritime Museum for nine days from Oct. 9 to 25, 2009.

 The Reckoning of Violet Jessop focuses on Violet facing the prospect of a landlocked life after 42 years of service at sea.  Violet must now come to terms with her past before embracing her new life.   “On a small stage with only a chair, table, telephone and an old steamer trunk full of Violet’s past, Jenny becomes a series of characters, drawing the audience in and presenting a beautifully acted and moving portrait of a strong woman, determined to carry on her life as she saw fit.”