Fairbanks Concert Association

The Shackleton Cyber Library

One of the many reasons the Split Knuckle Theatre Endurance project is so compelling is the wealth of material available on the source. Ever since we found this project, we’ve been collecting that material. We think you’ll appreciate the performance even more if you immerse yourself We offer some of it to you here:


On Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition:

Meet the Team

“MEN WANTED: FOR HAZARDOUS JOURNEY. SMALL WAGES, BITTER COLD, LONG MONTHS OF COMPLETE DARKNESS, CONSTANT DANGER, SAFE RETURN DOUBTFUL. HONOUR AND RECOGNITION IN CASE OF SUCCESS. SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON”

Who would answer such an ad, which Shackleton placed in a London newspaper seeking recruits for his 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition? Thousands answered.  Here, meet each member of the team he chose and find out what credentials you would have had to bring to the table to gain the respect of Sir Ernest Shackleton—and a berth on the Endurance.

One of the most interesting stories related to the expedition is that of Frank Hurley, the Autralian photographer and film maker. His photographs are beautiful and because of his great heroics, they are available to us still.

“Throughout the ordeal,” which lasted almost two years, Morell said, “they’re actually having a remarkably good time.” While that seems like an overstatement, the expedition did find ways to entertain themselves, and these moments were important to their overall survival: sending birthday cards, playing sports, group sing-alongs, frolicking with dogs (before they ate them), mock trials, hair cutting, and theater.

While living on desolate Elephant Island, crewman Thomas Orde-Lees wrote in his journal, “We’ve had a grand concert tonight of 24 turns. And so ends one of the happiest days of my life.”

Authors Morrell and Capparell recalled the time the Endurance was finally crushed in the ice floe. Shackleton turned to his men and said, very decisively, “Now we will go home.”

“In that one short sentence of setting a clear goal,” Morell said, “he quickly re-frames the situation and sets them on a path to getting every single one of them home alive.” The authors said the leader would call everyone together to make big announcements, often ask his men for their advice. “He unleashed the powers of his team by getting them to use their strengths,” they added.

 

The Play’s the thing

Watch the Trailer

Read and listen about it:

Conversation with Split Knuckle Theatre’s Artistic Director Greg Webster

Rediscovering Shackleton’s territory:

More on the Shackleton Whiskey:

Just for fun

John Oliver – Don’t go to Antarctica