David Frenchs awardwinning and ongoing dramatic cycle about the Mercer family both in their native Newfoundland and later as participants in the great outport clearances relocated in Toronto has become a defining part of Canadas theatrical history.Set in Toronto the first play Leaving Home 1972 introduced the family sagas key figure Jacob Mercer who appears in all of the plays. Also in this series are Of the Fields Lately 1973 SaltWater Moon 1984 and 1949 1988 which deals with this expatriate familys reaction to Newfoundlands entry into confederation.With Soldiers Heart French looks back in time at the thoroughly alienated 16yearold Jacob standing on a railway platform his suitcase and oneway ticket away from home in hand. His father Esau a veteran of the First World War rushes to the station in a lastditch effort to persuade his son not to leave. Unable to speak of what had happened in the Great War since his return Esau begins in halting and tentative language to tell of his comrades and his brother their training in Scotland the agony of Gallipoli and finally the formative events at the battle of the Somme at Beaumont Hamel. At first defensive in response to his sons probing and impatient questioning Esaus answers evolve into stories of pride foolishness anger desperation and finally mindless terror leaving only the image of a man driven by the blind animal instinct to survive. It is this devastating and unsparing account of all that is in a soldiers heart that finally brings father and son back together.