Whimsically beautiful and soulfully pensive are two of the countless lexis that depict the enchanting intensity of Susan Coyne’s cottage country chronicle that’s in flight at Tarragon Theatre.

Based on the real life events borrowed from the playwright’s memoir of the same name, Kingfisher Days is one of those rare theatrical creations where an author’s attempt to translate meaningful personal accounts to an audience actually succeeds. Vividly imaginative at every turn while paying homage to a resonant generational relationship, this is a play that has the all the makings of a Canadian classic.

A frantic Susan Coyne coping with time management issues scrambles on stage with her cue cards. She takes a sip from her glass of water and discloses that her tardiness also plagues rehearsals in other shows she’s worked on. Only in hindsight do you realize that the incompatible yet amusing prologue appears to be a mechanism to elongate the narrative that the book alone is unable to achieve.

“This is a memory play, I can’t remember if I said that,” she muses nervously. The audience responds with a healthy chuckle as a decisive tone is now set for the style of humour that continues for the next 90 minutes.

Kingfisher Days is the story of young girl who, while vacationing in the summer of 1963, finds a letter addressed to her in a stone fireplace. Unable to read at her age, Mr. Moir, a neighbouring cottager articulates the contents of the correspondence penned by Nootsie Tah, a displaced fairy who details the events of her mystical world where, among other things, a debate ensues over a move to teach cats how to speak French. The long days of summer that follow bring the three characters closer together with inventive tales of exploration until season’s inevitable end.

Under the direction of Albert Schultz, the cast of Martha Burns, Susan Coyne, and Joseph Ziegler, resembles a troupe of impeccable stage accomplishments. They should. The quartet are active Soulpepper Theatre Company members, and hence, the prevailing rapport is noticeably relaxed and trusting.

It’s double duty for all the actors, which starts with Joseph Ziegler and his A+ performances as a warm hearted, retired schoolteacher and an overtly practical father missing out on the emotional connection with his daughter. Shifting back and forth from narrator to a juvenile version of herself, Susan Coyne leaves little doubt that this is her personal story despite the understandable dramatic inserts she’s put in place to groom the play. Always ambitious in her undertakings, Martha Burns spends most of her time as an egocentric fairy but also juggles short scenes as Susan’s mother.

Coordinating the cast seems to have been a cakewalk for Albert Shultz who has done wonders with accentuating the surreal humour of the script. What’s more, he veers away from the letter-reading task of the characters and instead has them aware of each other’s presence. This simple strategy gives the play much-welcomed dimension.

Designer Ken Garnhum strikes a precise balance between modesty and versatility in his set which allows Nootsie Tah to appear and disappear in a blink of an eye.

Susan Coyne’s crisp and concise language compounded by her ability to craft wildly descriptive passages makes this offering a strong contender as the next big thing to sweep away national audiences. Kingfisher Days soars to new theatrical heights regardless of an absent climax, yet you walk away from this one relishing the exquisiteness of childhood and the somber conclusion of summer.