Big Laughs, Bold Friendships: Director Emily Oriold on The Beaver Club

As rehearsals continue for Lighthouse Festival’s 2026 season opener, The Beaver Club is already proving to be exactly the kind of comedy audiences love most: bold, hilarious, heartfelt, and just a little bit outrageous.

Directed by Emily Oriold, The Beaver Club by Barb Scheffler follows four longtime friends who pile into a car and head from Toronto to Newfoundland on a cross-country road trip that quickly spirals into chaos, confessions, questionable roadside decisions, and some very funny moments along the way.

But according to Oriold, what makes the comedy truly land is not just the wild situations these women find themselves in. It’s the honesty underneath it all.

“There’s something special about a road trip taken not to escape life, but to lean all the way into it,” says Oriold.

“When I first encountered The Beaver Club, I was immediately taken by its spirit – unfiltered, unapologetic, and fuelled by friendship. These four women don’t just hit the road from Toronto to Newfoundland; they barrel forward with all the messiness, humour, and honesty that real friendship demands. It’s loud, it’s chaotic, and it’s very, very funny – but beneath all of that, there’s a deep well of love.”

That balance between outrageous comedy and emotional truth has become the foundation of the production in rehearsal. While audiences can expect plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, Oriold says the humour works because the characters feel real.

“In the rehearsal hall, we’ve leaned into both the outrageousness and the truth of this journey,” she explains. “Because while the play is packed with wild detours, questionable snacks, and stories that perhaps shouldn’t be told in polite company, what resonates most is the way these women show up for one another. They challenge and occasionally irritate each other – but they also hold space for one another in a way that feels deeply earned.”

It is that familiar dynamic that makes The Beaver Club feel instantly recognizable. Audiences may see pieces of their own friendships reflected back at them – the teasing, the bickering, the inside jokes, and the kind of loyalty that only develops over decades.

And of course, there is the comedy itself.

Oriold says finding the rhythm of the humour has been one of the most exciting parts of the rehearsal process.

“Comedy like this lives in its rhythm and we have spent time in the rehearsal hall digging, mining, and making big, bold choices to find that rhythm,” she says. “And during this work, we discovered more than just our comic timing. At its core, this play isn’t simply about a road trip. It’s about what it means to be seen, fully and honestly, by the people who have travelled alongside you.”

That emotional core gives the comedy its staying power. The laughs arrive quickly and often, but they are rooted in relationships audiences genuinely care about.

Part of what also makes The Beaver Club feel refreshing is its focus on women who refuse to fade quietly into the background. The characters are outspoken, complicated, fearless, and entirely themselves — something Oriold believes audiences will connect with immediately.

“There’s also something refreshing about watching women claim space exactly as they are: aging, yes, but also vibrant, complicated, irreverent, and gloriously unfiltered,” she says. “They are not interested in shrinking. If anything, they’re shining their light even brighter.”

That fearless energy drives much of the play’s humour. Whether the characters are revisiting old arguments, revealing secrets, or simply trying to survive another stretch of highway together, the comedy comes from how unapologetically human they are.

For Oriold, the funniest moments in The Beaver Club are often the ones audiences least expect.

“The humour comes from recognition,” she says. “It’s the kind of laughter that happens because you know these people. Maybe you’ve travelled with them. Maybe you are one of them.”

That combination of honesty and hilarity has made the rehearsal hall an energetic place filled with experimentation, big laughs, and plenty of unexpected moments. Oriold credits both the script and the cast for embracing the play’s willingness to be messy, loud, and deeply heartfelt all at once.

The result is a comedy that feels both wildly entertaining and surprisingly touching – a play where audiences can laugh at the chaos while still recognizing the affection underneath it all.

As Lighthouse Festival prepares to launch its 2026 summer season, The Beaver Club sets the tone perfectly: Canadian humour, unforgettable characters, and stories that celebrate connection in all its beautifully imperfect forms.

Oriold hopes audiences leave the theatre laughing, but also thinking about the friendships that have shaped their own lives.

“I hope you find yourself laughing often and maybe recognize a piece of your own friendships along the way—the ones that have survived time, distance, and even a few questionable decisions.”