The Story
Divining Spirits is an Ottawa story. Public policy is a necessary instrument of government that has real consequences for real people. It is usually shaped by a rational approach to the technology, economics, and social concerns of a particular issue. But what about the personal beliefs of the individuals developing that policy, whether religious, irrational, or otherwise? Or their personal emotions, ego, or experiences? What gets translated from the body, mind, and soul of individuals into what is considered “the common good” at any historical moment? Winners and losers and collateral damage are at stake. Which side are you on?
An Original Theatrical Work
In this context, Divining Spirits conjures up two notable Canadian contemporaries of the past, Duncan Scott and Peter Bryce, both of whom are laid to rest at the Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa; one the architect of policy (residential schools), the other a whistleblower. Heroes of yesteryear become villains today. One man was a founder of the Ottawa Historical Society, the other a member of the Ottawa Little Theatre. The most cultured and progressive of one century often become the pariahs of the next. Both men were Christians, high achievers, and victims of tragic circumstances in their lives. This 9th Hour original play imagines a posthumous, fictional and fractious encounter between two leaders who shaped the Canada we know today.
Are heroes and villains a social construct? Do whom we consider heroes and villains change over time? Who gets to decide? Is it fair to judge the values of a different time with today's values? How will we be judged a century from now?
Divining Spirits will be presented as a dramatic staged reading followed by a facilitated discussion with artists and special guest at The Gladstone Theatre on September 17th, 2026.
The Characters
DUNCAN CAMPBELL SCOTT
Scott was an Ottawa-born poet, musician, arts leader and senior civil servant whose legacy embodies a profound contradiction in Canadian history. Entering the federal civil service in 1879, he rose to become Deputy Superintendent General of Indian Affairs from 1913 until his retirement in 1932. In that position, Scott became a leading administrator of Canada's policy of Indigenous assimilation and the residential-school system. He defended compulsory attendance and resisted demands for reforms, including recommendations from Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce concerning the alarming disease and death rates among Indigenous children. At the same time, Scott was one of Canada's most respected literary and cultural figures. One of the "Confederation Poets," he published poetry, short stories and essays, became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and served as its president. An accomplished pianist, Scott was deeply involved in Ottawa's cultural life, serving as president of both the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra and Ottawa Drama League. Under his leadership, the Drama League flourished and established Ottawa's Little Theatre. He was also associated with the creation of the Dominion Drama Festival.
DR. PETER HENDERSON BRYCE
Bryce was a pioneering Canadian physician, public-health reformer, civil servant and outspoken critic of conditions in Indigenous residential schools. After helping establish Ontario's modern public-health system, Bryce joined the federal government in 1904 as Chief Medical Officer for the Departments of the Interior and Indian Affairs. His inspections of residential schools revealed devastating rates of tuberculosis, inadequate ventilation, poor sanitation and extraordinarily high mortality among Indigenous children. Bryce repeatedly recommended reforms, but senior officials resisted or failed to implement many of them. His increasingly bitter conflict with Indian Affairs—and particularly Duncan Campbell Scott—eventually cost him influence within the department. After leaving government, Bryce publicly exposed what he had witnessed in his 1922 pamphlet The Story of a National Crime, accusing the government of failing in its duty to protect Indigenous children. Like Scott, Bryce was much more than a government official. He belonged to Ottawa's intellectual and cultural establishment, serving as president of the Arts and Letters Club of Ottawa and helping found the Canadian Historical Association. He wrote extensively on Canadian history as well as medicine and public health.
The Artists
ADAM BARROWS (Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce)
Adam played Dietrich Bonhoeffer in 9th Hour's staged reading of The Beams Are Creaking earlier this year, and also performed in the company's 2025 production of Babette's Feast, primarily featured as General Lorens Löwenhielm. He could also be seen on the Gladstone stage previously in August: Osage County and in Late Company (both with Elevator Theatre Company). He played Richard in The Lion in Winter (Phoenix Players) and Zach in Lost Baggage Musical Theatre's production of A Chorus Line. Adam regularly engages with ideas and issues relating to arts and culture, and has been a professor of English Literature at Carleton University since 2009.
NICHOLAS MAILLET (Duncan Campbell Scott)
Nicholas is a stage and screen actor based in Ottawa. He’s delighted to be returning to 9th Hour Theatre Company, where he last appeared as Clopin in the company’s 2024 production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. His recent theatre credits include Dead Sibling Society, an original production that received multiple awards, including recognition for Outstanding Production and Best New Work at the 2025 Prix Rideau Awards. Outside of theatre, Nicholas works extensively in film, television, and commercial projects throughout Canada. Whether performing in front of a camera or a live audience, he is drawn to stories that blend humour, heart, and humanity.
