A play which has toured across the country for ten years will be coming to Weyburn this weekend. “Jake’s Gift” will take the stage on Saturday, as part of the Weyburn Concert Series.

The one person play was written by Julia MacKey, who is also the sole performer of the play. It tells the story of a veteran returning to Juno Beach for the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings on the coast of Normandy.

Mackey said the work on the play began in 2004. She explained it really came to life when she went to Normandy for the 60th anniversary commemorations in 2004.

“I spent about a week there, and I walked the beaches and the cemeteries, and talked to as many guys as I could, and I interviewed them and asked about what it was like to be back, for many of them for the first time in 60 years,” Mackey told Discover Weyburn.

The play is marking its 10th anniversary this year. It was originally performed in a small theatre in British Columbia. “The feedback was really good, and so we spent another couple months writing; just changing it a little bit based on the feedback we had, and started performing it exactly ten years ago,” Mackey related about the process in getting the play from paper to the stage.

The play features four characters, all of which are portrayed by Mackey on the stage. Jake is the World War II veteran. Isabelle is a young French girl who lives in the town Jake helped liberate. Isabelle’s grandmother is another character, who was Isabelle’s age during the war, and a Canadian teacher, who meets Isabelle in a cemetery in Normandy.

The performance takes the stage Saturday at the Cugnet Centre. Tickets are available for $28 in advance, and $30 at the door for adults. For children, tickets are $12 in advance, and $15 at the door.