Stratford Perth Museum manager of exhibits and education doing a little writing in the museum’s hobbit hole. Photo by Galen Simmons
By Galen Simmons
Fantasy literature fans will have the chance to dive deeper into the world of J.R.R. Tolkien and the enduring themes behind The Hobbit during a special evening celebrating the Stratford Perth Museum’s current exhibit, “Sharing An Adventure.”
Beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 13, the museum will host an exhibit celebration event featuring presentations, a guest lecture by St. Marys resident and Western University professor Dr. Gabrielle Ceraldi, and an interactive fantasy-themed challenge throughout the exhibit space.
The exhibit was inspired by the Stratford Festival’s production of The Hobbit, currently on stage at the Avon Theatre, and explores the lasting influence of Tolkien’s work and the fantasy genre.
Museum manager of education and exhibits Megan Patterson said the exhibit was added to the museum’s long-term plans as part of a new strategy to celebrate productions appearing at the Stratford Festival.
“We’re celebrating our contemporary community heritage,” Patterson said. “The Hobbit seemed to be something unique. We did The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and that one was a huge success, so we thought, ‘Why don’t we do another fantasy exhibit?’ “
Rather than focusing solely on Tolkien, Patterson said the exhibit explores the broader themes that have made fantasy literature resonate with generations of readers.
“It talks a little bit about Tolkien, but also the archetypes behind fantasy as a whole and how those messages and literary devices are integral to what’s happening in our society today,” she said. “Power and corruption being the big one, environmentalism being another one.”
The exhibit also features two large fantasy-inspired sculptures created by local artists – a dragon sculpture created by Maaike Roosendaal and Olivia Taylor and a sculpture entitled “The Creature” by the Earle family – props and artifacts on loan from the Stratford Festival warehouse, and an immersive setting that allows visitors to step into a world reminiscent of Bilbo Baggins’ home.
Patterson said the community played a major role in bringing the exhibit to life.
“They went and surpassed our expectations when it comes to the proposals, and we’re thrilled,” she said. “The sculptures showed up and we were like, ‘Wow.’ It was way beyond what we could have imagined.”
Both the dragon sculpture and “The Creature” are on loan from their creators and are available for purchase.
The Aug. 13 celebration will feature Ceraldi, who lives in St. Marys and teaches courses on children’s literature, fantasy fiction and Harry Potter at Western University. During her presentation, she will examine the history of fantasy literature and the common archetypes found in Tolkien’s works and those of other influential authors.
Patterson said inviting a local expert was an easy decision.
“She’s actually from St. Marys, so she’s within our county, which is why I brought her in,” Patterson said. “When we reached out to her and said what we were doing, she said, ‘Oh yeah, I can come and talk about that.’ “
Following the presentations, visitors will be invited to complete a fantasy-themed challenge featuring riddles, scavenger-hunt style clues and interactive tasks throughout the exhibit. Participants will search for key objects connected to The Hobbit, solve Tolkien-inspired riddles, sign a scroll with a quill pen and complete a series of quests for the chance to win a prize.
“It’s like an escape room,” Patterson said. “There’ll be a bit of a scavenger hunt, answering some riddles.”
Ultimately, Patterson hopes visitors leave with a greater appreciation for fantasy as more than simple entertainment.
“I hope they’ll learn a little bit that there’s more to fantasy than just fun and entertainment,” she said. “I hope they see there’s parallels between our modern society and what’s happening.
“There is an escapism quality to it, but then there’s also a reality quality to it when we talk about the themes.”
To read my review of the Stratford Festival’s The Hobbit, click here.
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