Vera McNichol is an inspirational figure who really drew people in back in the day and still draws people in now.
The Stratford Perth Museum is hosting a play called 'The Charms of Vera McNichol': tickets sold out overnight and close to 200 people are on a waiting list. Ron Kennell is an actor and writer from Stratford, and he was commissioned by the Blyth Theatre to do a play about McNichol (who hailed from nearby Millbank), who is near and dear to his own family.
“My grandmother went to see Vera on two occasions that I know about,” he said. “She had a nosebleed that wouldn’t stop so she went to see Vera and it stopped. The other time involved my father who would not sleep for a week, so my grandmother took him to see Vera, who offered a prayer, and removed strings that she had tied around his fingers, and my father fell asleep.”
McNichol was born in 1910 in Wellington County, and she was a nurse and author, but most people know of her as a clairvoyant. During her 85-year-long life, it's estimated that around 250,000 people visited her for a reading. To celebrate her life, Kennell has written a play called 'The Devil’s In The Details: The Wonder Of Vera Mcnichol.'
“I got the grant from the Blyth Theatre and was able to write the first draft and then COVID hit,” said Kennell. “The play sat on the shelf, until I connected with Kelly McIntosh from the Museum who I had done plays with. I am using the upcoming event as a way to learn more first-hand stories about Vera to help me finish the script.”
Legends say McNichol has her first vision of a barefooted shinny woman with a book in her hand when she was just five years old. While Vera recognized this vision as something special within her, her Christian father wasn’t so amused and believed it to be the work of the devil. It’s been 30 years since Vera’s death but people are still drawn to her story.
“I think the draw of Vera is that everyone is seeking something,” said Kennell. “Whether they want to know the truth about something, find something they have lost, but I also think that people are still seeking the kind of love and affection that Vera offered during her readings.”
The event that is taking place this weekend will also welcome Jacob James, actor and paranormal investigator who will be recording the event to later investigate paranormal activity. The feedback has been so positive from the community that the Museum and Ron have been forced to hold at least one more event, but more may follow.
In a Facebook post, the museum's general manager, Kelly McIntosh, wrote ”I would say it is unprecedented for the museum to have such a response, but now we can officially say Justin Bieber has a rival at your museum in Vera McNichol.”
The numbers don’t lie as to date over 42,000 impressions have been received on the museum's Facebook page. When it comes to the play, the hope is to complete it and then for it to be picked up.
“I plan to gather what information I can from the event on the weekend,” said Kennell. “From there the plan is to have more events, and I will share how the play has changed and grown and hopefully there will be a spark.”