One of the most successful writers of the 20th century, Canadian novelist Mazo de la Roche, was also one of the most secretive. She raised children but she lived most of her life with her cousin Caroline Clement. Biographer Joan Givner has resurrected the mystery of the novelist's personal life in a new novel called Playing Sarah Bernhardt (Dundurn $21.99), the story of a contemporary actress.

Unable to remember her lines while playing Sarah Bernhardt, Harriet assumes her career as an actress is over-until she's offered a part in a new play about Mazo de la Roche, creator of the once-famous Whiteoaks saga.

The new theatrical show about Mazo de la Roche and her homelife is being mounted in Regina where Harriet grew up. The playwright is an amateur, but Harriet is willing to take the risk of further humiliation in the hopes of reviving her career.

It turns out the memory-challenged Harriet was selected for the role by the playwright because the playwright is also writing a biography of Mazo de la Roche and the playwright knows Harriet possesses key pieces of a sexual puzzle she is assembling: Harriet is one of the few people who has always known her favourite aunt was the biological mother of Mazo's adopted daughter, Antoinette.

Antoinette and Harriet share the same birthdate. And Harriet, at age 12, once met Antoinette's father in her aunt's apartment in Vancouver.

As the playwright draws Harriet into the vortex of the past during rehearsals, Harriet becomes involved with an old lover and she returns to visit the neighborhood haunts of her childhood.

The rest is herstory. Make-believed.

The biographical information about the relationship of Mazo de la Roche and Caroline Clement is based on Givner's 1989 book Mazo de la Roche: The Hidden Life (Oxford University Press).

Dramatic scenes are adapted from Givner's play Mazo and Caroline, which was performed at the Saskatchewan Playwright Centre's Spring Festival in 1992.

--by Joan Givner

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