Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing

by Tomson Highway

Nominee, Governor General's Literary Award for Drama Dora Mavor Moore Award winner, 1989 Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award winner, 1990 Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing tells another story of the mythical Wasaychigan Hill Indian Reserve, also the setting for Tomson Highway's award winning play The Rez Sisters . Wherein The Rez Sisters the focus was on seven "Wasy" women and the game of bingo, Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing features seven "Wasy" men and the game of hockey. It is a fast-paced story of tragedy, comedy, and hope.

Genres: Plays, Indigenous, Drama, Canada, Fiction, School, Read For School

136 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1989

About the author

In the six decades since he was born in a tent in the bush of northernmost Manitoba, Tomson Highway has traveled many paths and been called by many names. Residential school survivor, classical pianist, social worker and, since the 1980s, playwright, librettist, novelist and children's author.

He is fluent in French, English and his native Cree. In 1994 he was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada -- the first Aboriginal writer to receive that honour. In 2000, Maclean's magazine named him one of the 100 most important people in Canadian history.

He currently resides in Toronto.

Reviews

[Celia T · Rating 5 out of 5]

cw: rape

This is a fantastic piece of writing, but I was going to give it three stars, simply because I am Officially Tired of graphic rape scenes onstage. I understand the symbolic importance of the sequence, I understand why Highway included it, the assault is better written and more relevant than plenty of other examples of this phenomenon I could name (yes, Nick Dear, I AM looking at you) but the depiction of male violence onstage has a long and problematic history and I'm just. tired of it.

Nevertheless: I'm giving this play five stars because all the reviews here written by white people are making me so angry. Y'all are out here like "oh this was too graphic and upsetting, too much rough language, I don't speak Cree and why was so much of this play in a language I don't even understand?? also why is Christianity represented as bad? Christians are nice people. :(" 1) read a book. my god. 2) I know this is a tough concept but maybe--just maybe--not all literature is neatly packaged for easy consumption by a white audience???

[disclaimer I realize I'm talking about white people as though I'm not one and I super am and I don't which to lay claim to a holier-than-thou level of wokeness. but good lord you guys.]

[Brad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not an easy play. It is not an entertainment. It is a challenge. And damn if it isn't important. But prepare to be exhausted when you're through.

[fatma · Rating 1 out of 5]

blah

[Jen D · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was assigned reading for a Sports Literature class; that being said I found it to be a very interesting and authentic read. It was certainly disturbing at times, and very sad, but also very real.

[Irma Mayorga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nanabush dancing with a bustle.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

CW: Graphic Sexual Assault

I wanted to like this, and I think I was doomed not to by how much I didn't like The Rez Sisters. The two plays are parallel in a way, as they share a cast of characters and location. While I think there are some similarities they are vastly different in tone, theme, and content.

This play was not enjoyable to read, and I honestly doubt it would be enjoyable on the stage either. However, the criticism of Christianity and the commentary this play provides on the colonization of Native communities is valuable, insightful, and heartbreaking. I think the issue is, the way the theme is presented is outdated. The ideas are very much still relevant today to Canada's erasure of Native histories and culture, but the 'controversy' of the women's hockey league doesn't stand up in 2020.

Ultimately, my displeasure in this read came from the end which negated all the emotional impact. I think the ideas in this book are worth reading it for, but it's not enjoyable and is probably best regarded as more of an academic think-piece. I'm not opposed to reading more of Highway's work, as my displeasure is not more important than the process of decolonization and reconciliation.

Also, I didn't really get the significance of the title...

[Debbie Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

--November 25, 2023--
TW:rape!
Holy shit I read this in one setting idk how I feel about this play cuz things were CRAZY! I read the Rez sisters already so you see characters and mentions of those characters from that play in this play but man idk what to think(only read early to get some reading out of the way in my classes). Please look up the TW cuz I wasn't expecting that.
---Febuary 9,2023--
Re-read!
Re-read this for class and you for sure have to re-read plays, I went down a little rabbit hole and compared Dry Lips to the Rez Sisters AND Y'all!! I MUST RE-READ THE REZ SISTERS NEXT BECAUSE THAT RABBIT HOLE I WENT THROUGH WAS MIND CHANGING! My original stars for this book was a 2 but I think its either a 2.5 or 3 stars Re-reading really changes the game this play was JUST SO UNEXPECTING AND CRAZY! BUT THAT WAS FUN I WANT TO SEE IT PERFORMED NOW! THE HIDDEN EASTER EGGS AND SHIT TOO IN THE BOOK THE FORSHADOWS LIKE WHAT! mind blown!🤯

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews...

[Smilingplatypus · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Liked" is not really the right word for this play. I didn't enjoy it -- it is extremely disturbing and depressing at points -- but it is authentic and well-written. The play raises a lot of issues about reservation life and the situation of many First Nations communities in Canada, which is an important goal even if it doesn't make for comfortable theatre. I will also point out that I read the script and haven't seen it live, which is probably for the best given the aforementioned disturbing bits... not to mention the long stretches of dialogue in Cree, which I definitely would not have understood without the provided translation.

[A Canadian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read on the advise of a CBC personality (see ads do work)

I loved the use of soundscapes and the ending. I was challenged by some of the characterizations.

[Sam Goodale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another classic by Robert May

[kp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more emotionally and artistically challenging than The Rez Sisters and, in many ways, more obviously feminist.

[Rosamund · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting play if not a comfortable read. Video review will follow eventually.

[jenica · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We've got to learn to dance again.”

Okay first play review brought to you by Canadian Lit :D I reckon this will be a bit shorter since the story and its themes and shit are really focused, so let’s get started best friends I won’t take up much of your time.
Edit right before I post this: this in fact is not very short and this took a long time to write because it’s hard making my thoughts coherent! Dawg I finished this over a month ago and I’m only getting to it Now.

Tomson Highway’s award-winning 1989 play Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing centres around a group of men who are witnessing an unprecedented, controversial development within the Wasaychigan Hill Indian Reserve: the women are getting into hockey now! But that's not all — throughout the ensuing story, the mythological figure of Nanabush weaves in and out among the interactions of the men during moments that are silly, serious, and everything in between as they grapple with this change. Through the dreamscape setting, we look at misogyny, the conflict between religion and spirituality, the process of healing, and more oh my!!

I actually don't know where to begin. I'm starting to realize that just because this is a play and it's short doesn't mean I don't have a lot to say <3. But I guess the biggest thing you should know right now is that the entirety of the play’s events, like I’m talking at least 95% of it, happens in a dream. From the very beginning, we are seeing everything unfold Not In Real Life. I have no idea if this is a spoiler or not LMAO my bad if it is, but understanding that the world we’re in is technically only an interpretation of reality drastically changes how the play is viewed, in my opinion. As we know, dreams tap into those subconscious parts of you, and they can be prophetic, introspective, and much more. Basically, dreams can connect you — physical, earth-bound you — to something or somethings more spiritual or mystical. Very cool! Let’s save this knowledge!

The other important thing to know about is the central figure of Nanabush (its name in Cree, but it has different names across Indigenous cultures), who is a genderless trickster that adopts various disguises and appearances. By assuming these different identities, Nanabush functions as a teacher of sorts who interacts with people and pushes them to confront their troubles and weaknesses. To pull directly from my copy of the play: “[Nanabush’s] role is to teach us about the nature and the meaning of existence on the planet Earth; he straddles the consciousness of man and that of God, the Great Spirit.” If you’re into this, I’d highly recommend some Googling because Nanabush has a very, very long and diverse history in Indigenous storytelling and legend.

Now with these two things combined, the function of dreams and the presence of Nanabush, Dry Lips as a work of fiction is put into a very different context from what perhaps initially meets the eye. There is some controversy surrounding the play because of its representation of Christianity (more later) and its portrayal of women. There's lots of misogynistic dialogue, actions, and expressed beliefs, as well as a graphic sexual assault that I will also be talking about later (this is my trigger warning!!!!). During my first read, I was indeed appalled by some of the things the all male characters say and do. But after a second read through and some critical thought lmao, I’m reminded that (this might sound insane of me) women are not really the focus of this story because they’re more of a narrative device. I mean this in the least Andrew Tate Alpha male way possible, but I’m willing to defend Tomson Highway for this. Since the catalyst for the story is that women are getting into hockey, a traditionally masculine field, Dry Lips looks at gender discourse and the sexism of the men from the jump. A deeper examination of male anger and insecurity is explored primarily through their misogyny and their interactions with women, particularly three whom Nanabush takes the form of. And through her interactions with the men, she brings forth their behaviours and attitudes. Maybe it’s problematic that women aren’t really fleshed out characters in their own right and are instead sort of like props, which is a valid point of contention; however, I think for what the play sets out to do — which is addressing men’s violence and aggression toward women and how this affects Indigenous communities — this is at the very least a purposeful and self-aware decision on Highway’s part. Like, there is still a lesson to be learned here, regardless of how ugly the process is. I’m a dumbass who forgets about epigraphs whenever I read a book, and I’m serious when I say Dry Lips has basically hit me over the head in convincing me that they actually matter a lot and they are very useful tools for insight. The epigraph for Dry Lips is “…before the healing can take place, the poison must first be exposed…” said by Lyle Longclaws. Although I hesitate to extend empathy for men, especially when they end up treating women like shit because of the things they experience from OTHER MEN ……. I still consider this a compelling direction the story takes. I think it’d be such a shame to only focus on how misogynistic some of the characters are and reduce the play to just that.

Speaking of poison, the other Big Thing in the play is Christianity. Religiosity and spirituality constantly oppose each other throughout the story, and as an avid Enjoyer of religious imagery and themes in media, I was so in. As I said, the way Christianity is represented is quite controversial because, surprise surprise, it isn’t in a very pleasant light. And this leads me to the most graphic scene in the play, which I will not go into detail about, but this is nevertheless another heads up. This scene. This fucking Scene bro. Probably the most devastating sequence of events, and goddamn is it staggering, poignant, and unforgettable. Keeping in mind the history of Christianity and its intrinsic link to European colonialism, I truly do not see anything wrong with how Highway, a Cree man, depicts the literal and metaphorical effects of religion within Indigenous communities in his play. I could talk at length about this scene because it is so calculated and alarming and says so so much.

Okay a quick word on the characters. I actually do like them. Their individual personalities shine through so easily through the dialogue and their relationships with one another, and for all the shit I’ve said above, I do enjoy them as characters. There’s definitely some fuckass ones, but I still appreciate the way they’re written and the roles they play. Each of them are so distinct and multifaceted. The occasional mentions of the men’s longtime friendship are rich with subtext and a somewhat buried history that underlies much of what they find themselves struggling with during the present events of the play. They each start off as such caricatures, representing different aspects of the community like the Manly Man and the Devout Christian. But as the story progresses, the core of their characters get revealed, and they become so much more.

As we’ve seen in the epigraph, Dry Lips is a story about healing. The characters on the reserve strive toward healing, but I’d consider the creation of this play to be a healing process for Highway as well. The quotation above is very simple but speaks to a sense of hopefulness regarding this community’s ability to “learn to dance again.” Nanabush, of course, is indispensable here, and I loved the imagery surrounding her and the more spiritual, abstract parts of the play. Ohhhhhh what I would do to watch an actual performance of Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing. I need to hear the sounds! Sounds, particularly its discordance, are a prominent aspect of the play! And the visuals of course: the lighting, the faces of Nanabush, the recurring sight of the moon! I was seeing these things in my head wow I love plays they’re so fun.

Also I just have to make special mention of a featured song in another very important scene in the play. Our professor played it for the class and brother it is one of my top songs right now. “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” by Kitty Wells has contributed to my growing fondness for country music. It’s a good song on its own, but the use of it in the play is Cinema I tell you. First of all it’s a diss track, and second of all it’s about how men only ever blame women for their troubles instead of themselves……yeah give Kitty Wells and Tomson Highway their flowers idgaf, the song is perfect in Dry Lips.

As I sit here tonight, weeks after I finished reading this play (all in a few hours mind you), putting my thoughts and feelings into order has yielded a distinction of four stars. I apologize if this review is too impassioned, typically we critics at jenicasucks Corp. are much more professional and unbiased so as not to sway or influence public opinion too drastically. Nah but I feel so much more emotional about and attached to this story than most other things I’ve read. I’m neither Indigenous nor a man, so although I don’t think I’m the target audience per se, I just really liked what Highway did here. I’m super intrigued by gender discourse and gender struggles, yes yes including how men are affected too, I know, I’m so considerate. I talked A LOT about this last thing, but Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing truly is a very honest and raw portrayal of the complex, deep-seated, misdirected anger and hatred toward women. I didn’t even talk about hockey once LOL

[Natasha Whyte · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing" was an alienating read for me. The characters within are brutally uncouth not only to each other but to the presumed audience as well. Written with little room for creative expression on the part of the director, "Dry Lips" is set up as a play with strict ideas about what should be accomplished on stage and in production. Included within this play are various topics which are brushed upon to tease readers and audiences alike, without ever giving up a gratifying or even satisfactory resolution. Drinking while pregnant (resulting in F.A.S.), accidental suicide and rape are three of such topics, portrayed, not lightly, but with a nonchalance that doesn't seem to be entirely intentional. Rather than giving an impression of shock, horror, or even discord, these events are moved on from fairly quickly, then remain essentially unaddressed for the remainder of the play. I will take a moment here to point out that I'm relatively unfamiliar with the realm of theatre as a whole, though I'm quite well-read and can profess to be generally knowledgeable about all other things literature. That being said, I'm going to address the literary tropes within "Dry Lips".
Alison Bechdel, frankly, would be shocked at this play. Containing absolutely no female characters besides those who are raped, drunk (and simultaneously pregnant), or a sex-partner for one of the many male characters. The male characters are almost exclusively self-obsessed, even those who claim falsely to be progressing towards the goals of their wives.
Several passages in "Dry Lips" are written in Cree, Ojibway or both and as a result serve to distance readers unfamiliar with the Native American languages from the text. Though the written version contains translations in-line, a stage production would necessarily be required to leave one or the other out. While I understand and appreciate Tomson Highway's desire to include such passages in a text set on a Native reserve (thus giving a director the only real creativity he/she would have in a production), the inclusion of these other two languages does not accomplish the fluidity of language Highway probably was attempting to exposit. Generally, I did not enjoy reading this brutish play and would probably not recommend it to anyone except in rare or specific cases.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having read Highway's Kiss of the Fur Queen, I got a taste of his writing style...like the novel, he is obsessed with the Trickster, a mythical entity embodied by several characters throughout the play. The story is dream-like, chaotic and without order. I picked up on the symbolism but to be honest most of the time I have no idea what the heck is going on. There is too much going on, in fact. I kept wishing for some coherence. I couldn't follow the characters really well, either. It was just entirely confusing for me. And as it turned out, the entire play HAS been a dream.

Anyway. I think I'm done with Highway.

[Jesse · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the Rez Sisters when I read it years ago and expected I would like this just as much. However, its avalanche of characters, scenes, gimmicks, and themes was too overwhelming--especially because I didn't find it easy to distinguish between the characters and their motivations, to say nothing of the constant fadings in and out of tiny symbolic scenes dealing with issues that I felt needed more time and gravitas. I feel like I read/saw a lot of plays like this in the early '90s and I wonder if it just bears the hallmarks of postmodern playwriting of its times--but this was nowhere near as engaging for me as its predecessor.

[Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can’t even begin to say what I hate about this play, other than everything. I hate that there is rape involving a crucifix, I don’t care that it’s a physical manifestation of symbolic woes. I hate that Tomson Highway seems to think that girls farting while looking coy is something that should be utilized more than once. I hate that half the time the only female roles are to wear absolutely nothing. I’m glad I just read this, because if I had seen this, there is absolutely no doubt I would have walked right out, and I never do that.

[Mina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highway's play is rich with meaning, but not the kind that can be boiled down to a few sentences. His deft portrayal of a First Nations community is at turns hilarious, searing, and unbearably tragic. The brutal violence of the play's most explicit incident had me reeling numbly for a while - but then I saw that there is much subtle brutality to be found throughout the play. There is also hope, and an incredible sense of time and place and making what can be made of both. An engaging, flowing read, but not in any other sense an easy one.

[Mairéad (is roaming the Undying Lands) · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 Stars.

Gah I just dunno where to start to be honest. It had its "moments" to put it nicely. Makes me worried if this is the full extent of Canadian plays. Not that its terribly horrible. Just too much with regards to several things: like the language. Plus I think it had too much going on at once that it killed it (for me at least). I just dunno anymore. I skimmed the last bit. But from the first couple bits of dialogue I was going oooh boy, here we go again on another mindfudge trip. :/

***Read For School***

[Jas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read The Rez Sisters back in September and had the amazing opportunity of watching it performed at The Belfry Theatre in Victoria, BC. So reading Dry Lips was a pleasure to see some of the male characters, who had been mentioned throughout the earlier play. I think Highway is an exceptional playwright. This play was really well-written with humour and some profound insights into people and power dynamics woven throughout, and heart-wrenchingly honest. Grateful to have read this and really hope to see it performed one day.

[Brad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird mixture of comedy and disturbing realism. I read it to try to pick a short Canadian play for my intro English course this summer. While it provides a lot to talk about, I don't think I'll be going with it.

[Meghan Moloney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tomson Highway is an important playwright. These stories were difficult for me to read, both because of the harsh depiction of life on first nations reservations and because of the dialogue format of play scripts. But it's one of the least-romanticized views of modern aboriginal life in Canada.

[Tracy Schillemore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Canadian!! A great Indigenous playwright.

[Emily Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

just fantastic. set in my area of the world and most of the details are a little too accurate.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, deep, comic, depressing, thought provoking. Worthwhile, but somewhat disturbing.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Funny and Emotional, but so worth the read. Read the Rez Sisters too!

[Maroosh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disturbing... the only comforting thing was the fact that it was all a dream. Otherwise, great addition to the native/aboriginal genre.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of events crammed into a short play. Graphic, misogynistic, representative?

[Jerrica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Legitimately the worst thing I've ever had to read for school.