Introduction: The Unnatural and Accidental Women is a powerful play by Métis-Canadian playwright Marie Clements. It tells the story of Indigenous women who were murdered in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Based on real events, the play blends poetry, storytelling, and surreal scenes to honor these women and give them a voice. Clements shows how society often forgets or ignores the suffering of marginalized women—especially Indigenous women.
“Nobody wants to hear the stories of the dead... but they are still speaking.”
Rebecca’s Journey
The central character, Rebecca, is a young Indigenous woman searching for her mother, Amelia, who disappeared years ago. Her journey leads her through a dream-like world where she meets the ghosts of murdered women.
Rebecca’s story represents healing, memory, and justice. She is strong, curious, and determined to know the truth about what happened to her mother.
“I need to know. I need to see her, even once.”
This line highlightsRebecca’s deep emotional need for connection and truth. She becomes the voice for all the silenced women.
Themes: Injustice, Memory, and Resistance
Violence Against Indigenous Women
The play is based on the true story of Gilbert Paul Jordan, who murdered several Indigenous women by forcing them to drink alcohol. Clements doesn’t focus on the killer—she focuses on the women’s lives and voices.
Each woman in the play is named, remembered, and given space to speak. The play pushes back against the way society ignores violence against Indigenous women.
“You don’t see us. You never have.”
Memory and History : The women are ghosts, but they remember everything. Their memories are full of pain, but also of love, humor, and pride. The play says that even if society forgets them, they remember themselves.
“We are the story you try to forget, but we are not gone.”
Resilience and Identity : Even though they were killed, the women are not just victims. They are portrayed with dignity, wit, and strength. Their voices are poetic, powerful, and full of spirit.
Style: Blending Realism and Surrealism ; Marie Clements mixes realistic scenes with symbolic and dream-like moments. This style helps the audience feel the emotion of the story in a deeper way. The ghosts walk and talk with the living. Time moves in strange ways.
The mix of realism and surrealism shows that these stories are both real and haunting—they live in memory, trauma, and spirit.
Giving the Women Their Names and Voices : The title The Unnatural and Accidental Women comes from the legal term used to describe their deaths. But Clements gives these women names, stories, and humanity. She refuses to let them be just a statistic or a cold file.
“We were not accidents. We were people.” The most powerful messages of the play.
Conclusion: A Stage for Truth and Justice
The Unnatural and Accidental Women is more than a play—it is a memorial, a protest, and a ceremony. Marie Clements brings the voices of lost Indigenous women to the stage, not as victims, but as full, complex people with stories that demand to be heard.The play teaches us to listen to those who have been silenced, to remember those who have been erased, and to ask hard questions about how society treats its most vulnerable. By honoring their lives, the play becomes a powerful act of truth-telling and healing.
0 Comments