 VOLUME 23

 SPRING 2016  DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH & THEATRE 

Oh dear sisters our life is not ended yet. We shall live! ~Anton Chekov три сестры

(L. to R.) Nile Whidden with Robin Moir (Olga), Connor LaFarga with Katie Chevel (Masha ) and Blake Ward with Andrea Switzer (Irina).

Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2016 1 THEATRE REVIEWS numerous revivals in the intervening years are telling. Seale’s adaptation is VOICE transplanted from its original cultural HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES context, lending itself more to a Cana- By John Guare dian sensibility with elements like 4 (Directed by Robert Seale) having Halifax stand in for New York THEATRE REVIEWS by Stuart Harris House of Blue Leaves or name-dropping Jian Ghomeshi. Its

Three Sisters spirit, however, remains intact, and it Watching Robert Seale’s pro- Minifest 2016 proves that Guare’s play is still the- duction of John Guare’s The House of matically relevant in a time when new Blue Leaves feels almost like visiting ENGLISH SOCIETY EVENTS media reshapes our obsession with distant relatives remembered only in Bad Night celebrity and silent injustices are giv- photographs or long-forgotten child- Halloween Pub Night en the spotlight. The production’s po- hood memories. In this case, your Words on Tap tency lies in its human insight. It cri- place in the Denton Theatre gallery is Estuary Launch tiques our relationship with the notion both as an observer and as a house- ATLANTIC UNDERGRADUATE of fame using characters trapped in a guest in proximity to the dingy and ENGLISH CONFERENCE Lacanian nightmare, stuck in a de- nostalgic apartment set. The lead of One Book Nova Scotia Reading structive, futile chase with the myths the play gets on-stage to provide some and imagos we create for ourselves. musical entertainment in the opening AUTHORS @ ACADIA We tell ourselves stories of the heroes moments, almost directly acknowl- Anna Marie Sewell & Pam Palmater we’d like to be, and some sink to un- edging the audience’s role. He starts Dan MacCormack savoury behaviour to make sure these to play… and from there it slowly be- Daniel Scott Tysdal idealizations never escape them. For comes clearer why these people are Cornelia Hoogland instance… considered estranged in the first place. Joan Clark Artie Shaughnessy (Chris The House of Blue Leaves first Leanne Simpson McEwan) is an animal shelter em- premiered Off-Broadway in 1971 and Sheryl Craig ployee by trade, but he’s dead-set on though it originally concerned the Andrew Steeves making it big as a songwriter and per- state of a mid-60s America, its Rita Wong former in spite of a lack of talent. Liv- Sean Michaels ing a drab existence with his wife as mem- STAFF bers of the lower- Sarah Bishop middle class, his neu- Theodore Saunders Micah Carruthers rotic visions of fame Morgan Geauvreau and fortune often get Stuart Harris in the way of main- Rachael Laritz taining a stable rela- Allison MacDougall tionship. Of course, Andrea MacMurtry that’s not to say that Mark O’Reilly relationship could ever Georgia Woolaver be called conventional. Lance La Rocque (Faculty Advisor) Artie may be crazy, Wanda Campbell (Layout) but his wife is Bananas with a capital B If you would like to help (because that’s her with Voice 4, contact name). Portrayed by [email protected] Jenna Newcomb as Phone: 585-1146 ethereal with the odd bout of lucidity, she manages to be one of the saner personalities Stephen Roberts, Chris McEwan, Morgan Wright in an otherwise manic

2 Spring 2016  Acadia English & Theatre mélange of misfits. She’s also a between the dramatis personae are The coherence of the adaptation to schizophrenic at risk of being institu- punctuated throughout with slap- the 21st was strong and the play did tionalized by Artie’s sexually ac- stick, left-field wit, peripheral gags, feel more familiar. Chekov’s dra- tive but culinarily chaste downstairs and the occasional explosion. matic themes of longing, the search mistress, Bunny Flingus (Morgan There’s always uncertainty in antici- for purpose and love, deception, and Wright), who’s got plans to run pating how this comedy of blunders depression endure into our own time away with the wanna- will ultimately be diffused, and resonate more on a personal be musician to Holly- if it gets diffused at all, and level. The tension between the 19th wood in their vain this through-line of tension century romantic elements and the pursuits. keeps its drama compelling. abrasiveness of the 21st century anti- Of course, it all And for all the theatri- Russian city of Grožny foreshadows starts to go downhill cal volume that escalates the unfortunate end of the characters when the Pope comes over the course of the play, in the play. to town. It isn’t until The House of Blue Leaves Although certain elements, news of this esteemed knows how to end with a like the conflict between the antique arrival breaks that bang—without making so feeling in the Prozorov’s aristocratic Artie finds himself in much as a peep. The grim- home and the presence of cell the company of more mest shock is saved for last, phones on set ,were slightly jarring, quirkiness. His child- and it left the stands quiet the presence of such modern ele- hood friend, Billy enough to hear the air ments was a necessary side effect of Einhorn (Stephen escaping. making a modern adaptation. The Roberts), is a famous Over forty years on, use of the screen in the middle of the Hollywood producer John Guare’s hysterical cre- set, with still frame pictures coming working with a deaf ation continues to stand the up on screen as they were taken in actress named Corrin- test of time. In the face of the play, was surprisingly enjoyable na Stroller (Malia distressing human flaw, and fit in very smoothly to the play. Rogers). His brother Jenna Newcomb House of Blue Leaves works In contrast to this effective use of the Ronnie (Nile Whidden) has gone precisely because it gives us permis- technical tools of the 21st century— AWOL, hiding out in his apartment sion to laugh. the video messages sent by Baron with a terrorist plot to take down His Tuzenbakh (played by the likable Holiness. Even a trio of debauched Blake Ward) before his duel—felt nuns (Ashley Wells, Andrea Switzer, THREE SISTERS awkward in the context of the rest and Katie Chevel) show up to wor- By Anton Chekov of the play. The incorporation of (Adapted and Directed ship the man in the mitre on TV. modern music pieces and references, by Michael Devine) No matter how obsessive their with songs like Mary Costa’s “Once by Mark O’Reilly motives or misguided their actions, Upon a Dream” from Sleeping these personalities speak to a com- Beauty that was played on the record From March 9-12 & 16-19, mon human desire for validation. player, were familiar and fun addi- the Acadia Theatre Company per- The absurdity of it all is that what tions to the play that show how even formed Anton Chekov’s Three makes these characters seem more minor elements in modern adapta- Sisters, first performed in Moscow human, and keeps us invested, is tions can allow a contemporary audi- in 1901. The director of this produc- often the very same thing that alien- ence to relate to a play written more tion, Michael Devine, took on the ates them. Sympathy is tested against than a century ago. challenge of adapting the play to the ugly decisions, and this dissonance is The theatre in Denton Hall modern day by shifting the setting to where the darkness emerges between was comfortably full on both nights I the 21st century, and the geograph- the periods of comic lunacy. attended the play and the audience’s ical location to Grožny, the war-torn There’s a particularly feverish engagement created a supportive capital of the Chechen Republic. The pitch to the proceedings that extends environment. The set of the produc- Russian military garrison in an out- beyond the development of the off- tion immediately caught the eye. The post city remains from the original, beat cast. The anachronistically ret- seating and performing areas had and the three Prozorov sisters remain rograde set design upsets this adapta- swapped locations; the room was the thousands of kilometres from their tion’s grounding in the modern day. inverse of what I had become ac- beloved Moscow. The longer periods of back-and-forth quainted with during The House of

Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2016 3 Blue Leaves (directed by Robert that is characteristic of Chekhov’s This fact is impressive considering Seale) shows just months earlier. plays was, at least in part, compen- the linguistic intricacies and subtle The cement ‘risers’, the gray-scale sated for by an aesthetically pleas- complexities in the script of the colour, and the lack of clutter on ing and meaningful set. play. the set were effective in relating In this play, many of the The debate over whether the both the context and the theme of characters had fairly significant play is tragic or comic has contin- the play. The set, with antique and roles and contributions to the plot; ued since it was first produced. elegant furniture, largely white in therefore the production relied Though the play does not contain colour, was useful in communi- heavily on the performance of the “one-liners, factory-made plots cating the inherited affluence of many actors of the Acadia Theatre and cartoon-level ” North the Prozorov family in the opening Company. It is clear that the ac- Americans more typically associ- moments of the play. tors put in an immense amount of ate with comedy the play does find the humour in “the awk- ward moments and inter- actions of daily human life” (Director’s Notes, Michael Devine). Alt- hough the play effective- ly conveyed some come- dic elements, and the audience did burst out in laughter at several points, the significance of the play for me remains in the tragic end and the failure to realise any real purpose or meaning in life that was sought for by all the characters throughout the play. As the youngest sister Irina Tuzenbakh (Blake Ward) wooing Irina (Andrea Switzer) in the Prozorov Home says: “I’ve dreamed of love, Also, Devine’s adaptation work and all three of the sisters, I’ve been dreaming of it for years, placed an emphasis on the death of Olga (Robin Moir), Masha (Katie day and night, but my soul is like a the Prozorov family with elements Chevel) and Irina (Andrea Switz- wonderful piano which is locked like the dusty grey feel of the set er) acted impressively well. I and the key’s been lost.” Or, as and the chalky makeup on the fac- especially enjoyed Robin Moir’s expressed in the haunting words of es of the sisters. From this, it could performance as Olga as she was Andrei, the brother of the three be interpreted that Devine set it up exceedingly consistent and com- sisters: “every burning coal in our so that the two years that pass in mitted to her role as the oldest sis- lives turns into an ember.” the story are a dream-like retelling ter. Some other central characters Overall, Three Sisters was of the story, where the characters who stood out for me were Andrei an impressive performance that the slowly realize not only their own (Stephen Roberts) and Natasha Acadia Theatre Company should mortality but also that they might (Malia Rogers) as their perfor- be proud to have produced. already be dead. The character mances were convincing and Devine’s adaptation was thought Chebutykin (played by the enter- memorable. Also, minor castings provoking and stimulating, show- taining Chris Bolton) is one of the such as Nile Whidden as Solyony ing that Chekov’s themes still characters who becomes the most and Anna van Hoof as Rode were resonate. The play explores the aware of this when he says “none performances I particularly appre- challenging quest for meaning and of this is real,” especially towards ciated. In my opinion, every actor raises interesting questions about the end following his existential contributed positively to the over- the relationship between the past, crisis. The lack of action on-set all coherency of the production. the present and the future.

4 Spring 2016  Acadia English & Theatre

After Sunflower’s bitter- MINIFEST 2016 A New Lease was certainly sweet ending the audience was by Sarah Bishop different from the first two plays, thrown into a religiously good time mainly because there was little set with the play Rise and Fall. This is Once again, Acadia Theatre design physically on stage but lots all about Father Gerard, a priest Company presented Minifest. This that was built up in our imagination. who when travelling saved himself year was filled with awesome plays I think this play took the most audi- from a plane crash and landed in a that were quite entertaining and sur- ence participation, because someone gay club where he was given ecsta- prising. The evening started out was pulled from the audience as a sy and was changed forever. Father with A Long Trip, a play that will special guest (and then stuffed into Gerard, played by Rian Mizzi, be- certainly stand the test of time. It the imaginary trunk of their car) and gins knocking on a stranger’s door opens with an older couple, in the audience was asked to imagine and tells his revelation. Frima which the man is trying to get the the set. I liked the fact that there (Anna Vanhoof), the kind stranger, woman to remember their first kiss isn’t any real reality but just differ- discovers who she is along with Fa- many years ago. The story itself is ent imaginations of the characters. ther Gerard and they begin their accompanied by the flashback of Although this was a dizzying play, new lives, living for themselves. their first kiss. Both the flashback it was light and enjoyable. After Rise and Fall, the au- and the conversation of the couple dience was transported into a darker end with a tragic goodbye of the realm of the theatre, into Fish Tank. woman leaving for a long trip. We were asked to look at Emma The second play, Enter (Zoe Swinimer) and Tim’s (Colin Daisy Buchanan, was a breath of McGuire) broken fish tank that they fresh air inspired by the American were burying in the back yard. classic, The Great Gatsby. We see However, it wasn’t the broken fish actress Katie Chevel portraying tank that was truly the problem but Zelda Fitzgerald and while showing the devastation of losing a child and her insanity, we also get to see some The play Sunflower, the relationship coming undone be- the fictional relationship between F. directed by Zachery Craig, was a cause of it. This play was unlike the Scott and Zelda, without actually great piece that directed attention to others from Minifest, focusing on a seeing Scott himself. Maddi the ideas of Oscar Wilde’s homo- real moment that can happen and Mackinnon played Daisy Buchanan, sexuality with his companion told not on fiction or other worlds of the fictional embodiment of the through the eyes of a young girl reality. It was intense and very un- American dream, who enters into finding old documents and shown comfortable. The audience was sit- Zelda’s insanity most likely through through Wilde’s companion’s own ting in on one of the worst fights a a dream and tells the story of Daisy thoughts and actions. This was a couple could have. However, it was and Gatsby. This story follows the great way to honor Wilde and also real and somber, a great way to end controversy over who really wrote show the struggles of homosexuali- this year’s Minifest that was full of The Great Gatsby. ty at the time. possible realities for everyone. Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2016 5 Participants were encouraged to dress up, and many donned their most terrifying and crea- tive costumes. Some par- ticularly clever costumes were Faculty Advisor Dr. Jon Saklofske’s “Here’s Johnny” costume based on The Shining, and AES President Blake Le- Blanc’s disguise as the Fantastic Mr. Fox. Throughout the evening, attendees shared eerie stories to get into the Halloween spirit. Some literary highlights of the evening included a few creepy two-line stories, Stephen King’s “The Road Virus ACADIA Heads North,” and a retelling of NGLISH OCIETY OCIAL VENTS urban legends such as “The Hook” E S S E and “The Boyfriend’s Death”/ “The Mad Axeman.” BAD POETRY NIGHT HALLOWEEN PARTY The stories were followed up by terrifyingly themed cha- by Allison MacDougall by Morgan Geauvreau rades to finish off the evening. At

the end of the night, the door prize The Acadia English Society Every year, the Acadia of a Murder Mystery party game started off this year with a very English Society hosts a Halloween was awarded to AES member successful Bad Poetry Night. The Party to celebrate all things ghost- Stuart Harris. The AES is looking event was well attended as stu- ly and ghoulish. In past years, the forward to more goosebumps and dents, alumni, and faculty crowd- event has taken place at Paddy’s chills at next year’s Halloween ed into TAN Coffee to hear a Pub in Wolfville. This year, the event and thanks everyone for selection of some of Acadia's best AES decided to change things up coming out to make this event a bad poetry. Dreadful yet hilarious a bit, and instead hosted the party thrilling success. pieces of prose, poetry, and puns on October 22 in the Quiet Read- were read to the cheers and jeers ing Room of the Vaughan Memo- of a delighted and disgusted rial Library that was decorated audience. with creepy tomb- Some highlights were stones and jack-o- dramatic readings of 90's hit lantern lights; music, embarrassingly entertain- guests to the event ing childhood writings, and the were greeted with standout piece "A Mysterious tasty treats and a Hunk." The event was met with chance to walk enthusiasm and was unanimously away with a Murder enjoyed by all. Mystery party (above L. to R.) game, donated by Stuart Harris, Mercedes Peters, Christine Kendrick, and Jon Saklofske. as the door prize.

6 Spring 2016  Acadia English & Theatre WORDS ON TAP 2016 magazine a success over the Many of the English by Morgan Geauvreau last few years. department faculty were able and Georgia Woolaver The evening began with to attend this year, and con- a laugh as members of the au- tributed to the evening by The Acadia English So- dience guessed the original reading their own work, or ciety was delighted to host titles of famous poetic works some of their favourite pieces. in limerick form, presented by Words on Tap (formerly Poet- Particular high- ry on Tap) on April lights of the even- 8th in the Michener ing were engaging Lounge. In order to more accurately de- presentations by scribe the variety of Wanda Campbell contributions en- and Andrea couraged from pre- Schwenke Wyile. senters, the AES ex- Other special per- ecutive decided to formances includ- rename the evening ed a poem recited “Words on Tap.” from memory by Typically hosted Meredith Mac- during the last few Eachern, and a weeks of the winter poem composed semester, Words on by Jon Saklofske Tap is a way of cele- dedicated to Hans brating the creative Solo in the style talents of our stu- of Keat’s “Ode to dents and faculty. a Grecian Urn.” The evening was filled with perfor- The Acadia Eng- mances by a number lish Society would of presenters from a like to thank all variety of disci- presenters and plines including: English, Biology, and Education. The Maddie Fray presenting event was a resounding success and had a high turn- Amy Parkes. This game out from students and faculty. was followed by a spe- As in past years, cial performance from AES was thrilled to share the English Society Execu- evening with the launch of tive members Sarah estuary’s print edition for Bishop, Stuart Harris, and attendees for their participa- 2015-2016. On behalf of Mercedes Peters, who per- tion in this year’s Words on estuary, Wanda Campbell formed an entertaining lip- Tap. We appreciate your thanked Andrea MacMurtry sync of “Word Crimes” by support and look forward to for her hard work and dedica- Weird Al Yankovic. seeing you next year. tion to making the creative arts

Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2016 7 estuary______you for all the hard work you put DARREN GREER into estuary during your time here. by Andrea MacMurtry by Rachael Laritz To the ones who will continue on Editor-in-Chief with estuary or join it in the In this year’s One Book future, I wish you all the best, Nova Scotia book club, Just Be- and hope that estuary continues neath My Skin by Darren Greer was to be a creative outlet for all selected. One Book Nova Scotia is artists at this school. Finally, I an initiative in which Nova Scotian send a giant thank you to the librarians decide on one single book creative minds at Acadia Uni- by a living Canadian author that versity and the community that members will read for the year. The continues to submit, read, and author of the chosen book is re- support estuary. quired to give ten readings across We accept submissions the province. of creative writing, visual art, Unfortunately, only four and original music (mp3), estuary cover photograph by Nicole Havers people showed up for Greer when emailed to [email protected] he came to present in the Quiet Reading Room at Acadia’s Vaughan For my final year at Acadia, 2016 ANNUAL ATLANTIC Library this October 29th, and none and on the estuary board, I want to of them had actually read the book. reflect and give thanks to all of UNDERGRADUATE Therefore, it was primarily the aca- those who have helped support the ENGLISH CONFERENCE demic librarians who stimulated the fine arts at Acadia over the year. discussion, with genuine questions This town is blessed to have such for him about its content. One cri- beautiful areas to inspire art. Uni- terion for One Book Nova Scotia is versity itself has so many changes that the novel must appeal to a and choices it forces you to make, broad range of adult readers of var- and those emotions, good or bad, ying ages, literacy levels, and life can encourage one to lift a pen to experiences. As it seemed like each paper and let it out. Living on a hill, librarian provided an example from being able to look out at the places a personal life experience to back around you and the people who up their questions, it is evident that shaped you can be a startling Greer’s book met this criterion suc- thought when you’re at a place en- cessfully. couraging you to think, so I want Greer said that the initial you all to take a pause and think brainstorming of ideas for the nov- about where you have come from, el took many years, because he was now and again, and see how far never able to piece together a com- you’ve come. Davita DesRoches and Trevor plete story. But then, one night, as A huge thank you goes out to Barton-Barto presented at the 2016 he was going to bed, the entire nov- Wanda Campbell, who is a fantastic Annual Atlantic Undergraduate el flashed through his mind. The professor and a great listener to any English Conference, on Saturday only thing left to do was write it! He questions, and who still managed to March 19, 2016 at the University of was so excited. To conclude the find the time to send people with New Brunswick in Fredericton. presentation, half the audience got a submissions towards estuary. To Davita’s paper “Exhuming Skele- free copy of Greer’s novel Just Be- Acadia University and the Student tons and Rewriting the Margins in neath My Skin. Union for their continued support of George & Rue and The Secret our magazine, thank you as well. To River” and Trevor’s paper “F*** my editorial board, as many of us Marriage: Robinson's Immortal are graduating this year, I wish you Critique” were both well received. well in all your endeavors and thank

8 Spring 2016  Acadia English &Theatre  AUTHORS @ ACADIA 

passing through towns. Mi’kmaq At 7pm, Dr. Pam Palmater ANNA MARIE SEWELL chiefs would gather in Mimico to entered the scene. Palmater pre- eat gigantic feasts during this time. sented a First Nations approach to & PAM PALMATER However, since 1887, Mimico Sta- global warming. If we are to avoid by Rachael Laritz tion in has been a prison catastrophic climate change in our center for male inmates. lifetime, 99% of oil in the tar sands On Tuesday, September 22, Later, Sewell read ‘Poem has to stay in the ground. Produc- in the KC Irving Environmental of Silence’. Apparently, Margaret tion has to stop by 2020 if we are Science Centre auditorium, Anna Atwood dedicated 11 pages of the going to stop increasing the Earth’s Marie Sewell kicked off Acadia’s Norton Anthology of Canadian temperature by 2%. If Alberta first Authors @ Acadia Poetry Poetry to Duncan Campbell Scott. were a country, it would be the Reading and Performance of the Sewell complained that Atwood’s country with the highest green- year. Being part of the Mawio’mi next book should leave 11 pages house gas emissions in the world. festival, her poet- empty (Scott was The Inuit and First Nations have ry readings cov- not only a poet but been worried about Canada’s re- ered Aboriginal a deputy superin- sources for years, but the govern- themes. Her per- tendent of the De- ment and media have sheltered formance com- partment of Indian the rest of Canadians. 130 First bined music with Nations poetry as she have boil- played guitar to water the melodies in advisories, which she sang and have her poems. experi- Sewell enced dedicated her first declines in poem of the even- their fish ing to her great stocks and great grandfather, other and all the other natural Mi’kmaq men of Hummingbird in A Minor ~Quentin Syliboy resources. his time who built However, Boston and New York’s skyscrap- affairs, promoting these resources all come from the ers: “I like to think that what kept assimilation of First Nations same place. Therefore, all Canadi- these men grounded were the good people). This would acknowledge ans will soon face similar prob- women in their homes, who equally talented poets who have lems. If Canadians want to stop brought them back to Earth”. The lacked the same chances to be dis- global warming, they will have to men built the future--and lives for covered, specifically, First Nations work together with First Nations, their families. damaged by residential schools. and force the government to take ‘Mimico’, Sewell’s third While performing, Sewell better action. First Nations know poem, explored the Mimico town played slideshows of her sister’s they need to fight to save Canada’s history (near Toronto). In Ojibwe landscape artwork. Sewell remind- resources, and the rest of Canadi- (a Mi’kmaq language), ‘mimico’ ed us that land carries our lives and ans have the population, power, means ‘passenger pigeons’. Once a histories: “nature is calling out to and wealth to help First Nations very common bird species, large us to make different, better choices put their plans in action. But the flocks of passenger pigeons would in how we treat the Earth.” first step, she added, was not to turn the whole sky black while vote for Harper.

Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2016 9 DAN MACCORMACK constantly influencing one another, MacCormack only wrote ten songs. and neither seems to be able to exist But that is no small feat. His album by Micah Carruthers without having taken from the other. Symphony of Ghosts, released in Oc-

Therefore, it’s no wonder tober 2016, took five years to create, Not an author in the traditional MacCormack got the idea to create as each song was inspired by a differ- sense, Dan MacCormack came to an album that paid homage to his ent novel and each novel had a dis- Acadia on September 25 to present favourite writer, Dave Richards. But tinctive concept to capture. “I honest- his ten songs inspired by David why is Richards ly didn’t think Adams Richards novels. A Halifax- his favourite? I’d get past bred songwriter, multi-instrumental "“The water of our great river MacCormack six,” he admit- ist and pioneer of creative outlets, explains the makes us disappear–we become ted. Richards’ MacCormack said that although he origin of his at twilight in the babble of water books were so has been complimented on his unique intense connec- full, juxtapos- approach to using novels as inspira- a symphony of ghosts." tion to Rich- ing joy with tion for songs, it in fact isn’t unique ~David Adams Richards ards’ novels: intrigue and all at all. The collision between literature “Richards does in his novels what the connecting to historically rich back- and music has existed for centuries music traditions I love have always grounds--creating a song that fully from ballads inspired by classic tales done; he finds beauty, peace, and reflected the breadth of his novels to Led Zeppelin styling “Stairway To meaning in the lives of ordinary, and posed a much larger issue than Heaven” after Lord of the Rings. In often poor, people.” Although Rich- MacCormack initially expected. this way, literature and music have a ards has fifteen novels published, He had decided to choose a complicated relationship: they are major theme from each novel that he felt “struck a chord, pun intended.” But even that was a massive endeav- or. For example, the song “Walk the Line” was so difficult to pin down because he didn’t want to risk being “so specific without limiting the au- dience and alienating anyone.” His intended audience is Maritime, with each song having a different flavour to represent different regions. For example, “Good Friday” took a lot of tweaking before MacCormack was satisfied, as he wanted it to sound like “you were deep in the northern New Brunswick woods.” And Rich- ards’ reaction to the homage? Mac- Cormack proudly stated that Richards absolutely loved the album, which was a relief as anything other than that would have been pretty devastat- ing--he had invested five years of his life in the album. However, it was well worth the effort as not only has MacCormack received a lot of press from his use of Richards as a muse, he has also picked up many of Richards’ fans as well as his inspiration himself.

10 Spring 2016  Acadia English & Theatre

DANIEL SCOTT TYSDAL by Rachael Laritz

On October 6 in the Quiet Reading Room in the Acadia Library, Daniel Scott Tysdal came to perform and talk about some of his poems from his collection called Fauxccasional Poems. His poem “the Oath of Isis” consisted of a group performance of us all reading along with him from photocopies of the poem he had passed around. As usual, the Box of Delights Bookstore staff was at the back of the room with copies of Fauxccasional Poems for peo- ple to buy afterwards. This be- came handy for Tysdal when he realized he had not printed off enough copies of the poem for the large audience that came to see him: “Gosh, can I please borrow some of these?!” While Tysdal meant “Isis” in this sense to refer to a peacekeeping Egyptian god- dess rather than the ISIS conflicts we have been hearing a lot about in the news, it was evident while reading the poem that the role of the goddess here is to go back in time and stabilize world peace so that future conflict would never arise. Poems like this constitute The Oath of Isis the rest of Tysdal’s book. He takes Composed on the occasion of the Goddess Isis, her forces, and her a catastrophe that has occurred in followers forming a nation state in Northern Iraq on June 29, 2014. the world, such as the bombing of

I, [your name], being in the glorious presence of you, the Goddess Hiroshima, and writes a poem that Isis, voluntarily declare that I will work to preserve and expand your talks about hope and reconcilia- nation and your gift of love and love of life. With your guidance, I will tion—in this case, he imagines be healer of the sick, liberator of slaves, and enricher of the poor. that it was decided “not” to drop My plea to all will be: build what you must build. I will gather the the bomb. In the poem about the dead, scattered parts of our torn love and lift a new body, living and Hiroshima bomb, Tysdal tried to whole. I will learn the sun’s secret name. In your throne seated, I convey the idea of peace between will serve as a throne for all. I vow that we will prevail not by num- the East and the West by combin- bers, nor equipment, nor weapons, nor wealth, but rather by your ing the Eastern Haiku with the bounty, through your creed alone. I will speak that secret name and with the sun’s power I will shine. Western sonnet in a harmonic way.

Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2016 11 CORNELIA Hoogland’s work is also symbolically asking the question related to the Walking With Our “where are the women? What HOOGLAND Sisters movement, and the happened?” In the play Red, the by Georgia Woolaver REDress Project, both of which background set is comprised of are art projects dedicated to rais- seventy-five men’s suits hung in a On the evening of October ing awareness about missing and similar way to the dresses; the 21, Authors@Acadia welcomed murdered aboriginal women. In subtle movement of the empty author Cornelia Hoogland. The the multitude of different interpre- suits powerfully contributes to the presentation included readings tations of the Little Red Riding foreboding atmosphere of the from her collection of fairy tale Hood story available, Hoogland scene. poems Woods Wolf Girl, a read- reminds us “there is always a After some readings and ing of an excerpt viewing a clip from a from her play Red, performance of Red, and a video clip the author asked from a live perfor- some questions of the mance of the play. I audience. Participa- arrived about 15 tion was thorough minutes early, and and enthusiastic from was glad to find a many members of the seat available as the audience. When room was already asked about what quite full. The audi- inspired her work ence was a mixture related to Little Red of Acadia faculty, Riding Hood, Hoo- interested communi- gland replied “every ty members, and child has one book Acadia students. obsession, guess what The author was mine was? I started introduced by Aca- with one poem, dia professor Dr. which started with Andrea Schwenke the line: The girl Wyile, after which walked into the Hoogland took the woods.” Hoogland floor with a short relates Little Red reading. In her dis- Riding Hood to a cussion about the coming of age story study and im- as well, as “a long portance of fairy journey Little Red tales, Hoogland took to go from girl makes a case for real life lessons wolf; the girl is always eaten.” to woman”. The presentation end- contained within many fairy tales, Given the age of fairy tales, and ed with Hoogland reading two of pointing out that fairy tales them- the consistency of the young her newer poems, and then open- selves are very old and transcend woman as victim, Hoogland sug- ing the floor to questions. She in- culture. When reading fairy tales gests that Little Red Riding Hood vited members of the audience to such as “Little Red Riding Hood,” can be considered to be an early stay after the presentation to speak the reader is encouraged to ask representation of missing and with her about any further ideas or questions such as “what and who murdered women. Also related to questions they might have, an of- are really dangerous?” and “what The REDress Project is the set fer which was enthusiastically should we fear?” These questions dressing for Hoogland’s play, accepted by many members of the encourage critical thinking and Red. The REDress Project con- audience. Overall, this was a very caution in a world where things sists of an exhibit of several red enjoyable and engaging presenta- are not always as they seem. dresses hung up on clothes hang- tion from an interesting and ers, as if waiting to be worn, talented Canadian author. 12 Spring 2016  Acadia English & Theatre a novel revolving around grief, the English and be heard by everyone, characters experience grief in differ- despite the fact that they are writing ent ways than she did. Furthermore, in the language of the colonizers? she did not want to depict a slow Simpson felt that this particular death that drags on for three hundred presentation out of the week was pages. Rather, Clark said she wanted especially meaningful to her, as to keep the death as tight as possible. tonight her family was there in the audience to watch her. One of the LEANNE SIMPSON spoken word pieces that she played on the projector for us was a short by Rachael Laritz movie of herself interacting with her

little girl out in nature on a peaceful On October 30, Leanne sunny day. The absence of First Simpson read from Island of Nation words within her narration of Decolonial Love. It was her second the video, along with her wistful presentation at Acadia in two days. humming recorded in the back- The previous night she had given a ground, helped convey sadness to- well-attended speech about wards the dilemma felt by many “decolonizing the academy.” Tonight JOAN CLARK indigenous people as to how they she read from stories that incorporate by Rachael Laritz should best raise their kids within the her indigenous ancestral origins with colonized land in which they live. the Western culture in which her On Tuesday, October 27, Joan family and fellow indigenous Clark read passages from her book people also belong, due to colo- The Birthday Lunch in the KCIC au- nization. In her stories, she ditorium. It was soon after her hus- writes in English, with occa- band died that she started to write the sional First Nation words ap- book, drawing from her experience pearing here and there. While of grief for him in order to write she uses the word “decolonial” about grief experienced by her fic- in the title of her collection, the tional characters. Now that four years relationship to colonization is have passed, the book is finally fin- complex, as she and many oth- ished and was published this sum- er indigenous people have mer. Clark used Sussex, New Bruns- grown up with both Western wick as the setting of the story. Dur- culture and indigenous culture. ing the talk, Clark told us that to use Therefore, to strip indigenous a very specific, non-fictional setting people from the part of West- for one’s novel results in an added ern culture that they belong to pressure to make sure that every de- would be to take away a part of tail about the town is accurate. their cultural identity. Simp- Therefore, she would often be driv- son’s collection therefore raises ing an hour and a half to walk down the controversial debate about the streets of Sussex to fill in any how indigenous people, as well missing pieces. Clark adds that while as other colonized groups, many people have been convinced should write poetry and litera- that she based some of her characters ture that represents themselves on real people they knew in Sussex, and their culture. Should they she claims to have made them all up! write in their own language, so This fictionalizing also includes her that members of their culture use of her husband as a source. While can understand and appreciate it was certainly her husband’s death it, or should they write in that gave her the inspiration to write

Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2016 13 SHERYL summer, when the cafés put simple act of telling the truth.” chairs out in the sun. In short, This was the take-away CRAIG exactly the kind of company I message for writers, readers, and by Staff anticipated to keep, our thick publishers alike: real, physical On November 16, winter coats spilling over the books tell the truth. Beyond that, at the KCIC, I had the backs and arms of the few empty this little patriotic press that has pleasure of listening seats left. survived like a weed, pushing to Dr. Sheryl Craig’s And, patient and unassum- despite its smallness, was what talk, “Jane Austen and ing, was Andrew Steeves–the maintained the truth-telling. As The Divorce Bill.” man of the evening. I had a he answered our questions, there Craig’s discussion revealed how chance to talk to Andrew before was a ribbon that linked all of the meaning of literary texts are he spoke: he was Andrew’s enriched when explored in light incredibly kind, thoughts. The of social and political back- personable, and grassroots of grounds. In fact, Craig’s work as enthusiastic about publishing, a whole focuses on just such his- his profession. sustainability, torical contexts. Her new book And profession is and creativity Jane Austen and the State of the surely the best were “at the very Nation (Palgrave 2015), looks at word for what he heart of what the the world that Jane Austen inhab- does–there is noth- country really ited, including the role of new tax ing so exquisite as needs.” Andrew laws, the stability (or instability) the care he takes in was there, too. of the banking system, wars, and his work. In heavy At the dovetail political affiliations. She shows boots and thick between poet and how the turmoil of the time in- plaid and tidy publisher was, he forms many of Austen’s literary workman’s glass- said, the act of themes (such as her obsession es, Andrew was the image of a typography. Currently in the pro- with money). Over all, a well- maker: one who creates. He cess of developing his own font, presented, very informative talk! seemed ceaselessly made of sto- Andrew was inspired by the let- ries. Totally modest in the telling, ters he saw here, especially in the ANDREW STEEVES Andrew touched the bridge of his Old Hortonville Cemetery. by Amy Parkes nose, the frame of his glasses. He “Poems hold our ability to tell the was benignly distracted as he read truth,” Andrew said. As I listened A frigid winter Tuesday to us, involved much more deeply to his cadence and his gentle en- night might not seem like the in the process of sharing his art. thusiasm, it was impossible to most auspicious beginning, but Here are the bones of his miss the implicit caveat: there this semester’s run of Authors @ approach: “There is nothing so was poetry in publishing. Acadia opened with great evi- important,” Andrew said, “as the As the evening came to a dence to the contrary. The audito- moment and your awareness close, I noticed that he held his rium space of the KC Irving Cen- standing in it.” At times when he book like I remember my father tre was comfortably crowded, the finds himself losing touch, he holding a book. My father, with seats full of faces I recognised. goes into the woods behind his his fifth-grade education, quite Professors from all and sundry home. He compared wandering literally read everything he could departments; a baker’s dozen of the stacks to wandering between put his hands on. There was Acadia students, both by single- trees; Andrew has a gift for earth- something similarly sacred in tons and pairs; my own neigh- based metaphors. As I listened to Andrew’s demeanour toward his bours in the portion of the audi- him, it was clear he trusts the nat- craft, an understanding that he ence without direct ties to the uni- ural, the local, and the organic. was part of something so much versity. Hilary, from the Box of His philosophy was astute in its bigger than himself, something Delights Bookstore on Main natural simplicity. “Deep regard,” that extended even farther than all Street; the quiet elder gentleman he explained. There was nothing of us who have a Gaspereau Press I always catch sight of in the more important to him than “the book on our shelves. 14 Spring 2016  Acadia English & Theatre

RITA WONG

On Febraury 10, poet Rita

Wong was to have read from her

latest collect Undercurrents and presented on the poetics of water, but unfortunately, it was water in the vicious form of a blizzard that

kept her away from Acadia. let the colonial borders be seen for the pretensions that they are i hereby honour what the flow of water teaches us the beauty of enough, the path of peace to be savoured before the extremes of drought and flood overwhelm the careless water is a sacred bond, embedded in our plump, moist cells DECLARATION in our breaths that transpire to return to the clouds that gave us life through rain OF INTENT in the rivers & aquifers that we & our neighbours drink by RITA WONG in the oceans that our foremothers came from a watershed teaches not only humbleness but climate fluency the languages we need to interpret the sea's rising voice water connects us to salmon & cedar, whales & workers its currents bearing the plastic from our fridges & closets a gyre of karma recirculates, burgeoning body burden i hereby invoke fluid wisdom to guide us through the toxic muck i will apprentice myself to creeks & tributaries, groundwater & glaciers listen for the salty pulse within, the blood that recognizes marine ancestry in its chemical composition & intuitive pull i will learn through immersion, flotation & transformation as water expands & contracts, i will fit myself to its ever-changing dimensions molecular & spectacular, water will return what we give it, be that arrogance & poison, reverence & light, ambivalence & respect let our societies be revived as watersheds

SEAN MICHAELS He also explained There- govern our days. In the age of by staff min’s most famous invention, the Lenin’s Russia, people believed electronic instrument named for this instrument would revolution- On March 22, Acadia was him that consists of a box of ize music the way Edison’s bulb treated to a reading by Sean electronics with vertical and had revolutionized lighting, or Michaels, music journalist and horizontal antennae which emit the electric stove had revolution- author of the Nova Scotia Bank electrical fields. This very diffi- ized cooking. As he explained, Giller Prize winning debut novel, cult musical instrument which, as “Most musical instruments re- Us Conductors. He began by far as we know, is the only one quire their players to strum, push introducing the Russian inventor, you play without touching, is or blow into something. They scientist, and spy Leon Theremin played by waving one’s hands require that sticks strike skins or upon whom his own character between the two antennae to horsehair strokes strings. Only Lev Theremen is based. He later modulate pitch and volume by the theremin seems to rely on explained that though he incor- disrupting the electrical fields. nothing more than its player’s porated many factual details, he Michaels encouraged the presence or absence. Only the allowed himself to move beyond audience to remember how revo- theremin appears to run on biography and hagiography by lutionary such an instrument hope.” conjuring fictional details, like would have been long before the He went on to read three making his character Lev an electric guitar or the synthesizer sections from the book, and in expert in karate. or the million and one electronic beeps and signals which now each section asked the audience

Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2016 15 movement: the dzeooo sound of a Prize with a debut novel, he run grocery stores where the theremin being switched on, and a talked candidly about all the hard olives are next to the lingerie, and drum beat to accompany a scene work and fear and hope that goes the dogfood is next to the frozen of dancing in a Manhattan speak- into a writing project, and how peas. He also talked about the in- easy between Lev and Clara, who this important stamp of approval fluence of the contemporary music became the most reknowned had given him the freedom to scene on his chapter headings and thereminist of all time. And rather write without worry at least for the Theremin’s other inventions, some than end the reading with a dark time being. of which succeeded and some of scene from the gulag which he had which did not, including the visited in research for the novel terpsitone, an electrical stage in and where Theremin was eventu- which the music is created by a ally imprisoned, he chose instead dancer’s movements. a lighter scene from Lev’s child- As to whether he himself hood. Everyone in the audience plays the theremin, he responded was encouraged to hold up an that he has two in his possession imaginary vacuum tube like it was but, as much as his publicist a wine glass, a conch shell, or an would love it, he doesn’t bring emerald, and see it begin to glow them along to readings because when in contact with the electric they are insanely difficult to play field of overhanging copper wires. well, and part of the goal of the The reading concluded with book was to redeem the theremin a lively and engaging question- from its kitschy extraterrestrial and-answer session in which sci-fi reputation to an instrument Michaels was asked about the of true charm. Instead he played decorum of using historical char- a recording to demonstrate the acters in a fictional work and how ethereal beauty of the high notes far is too far when it comes to in- that sound very much like an ac- vention. He responded that an complished opera singer. Accord- author has the responsibility to ing to Michaels, it is an instrument think hard about this question, and He went on to explain that that requires us to wonder, as we use the bits and pieces of history since he had always been drawn to stand before it with arms upheld, to make something new, while magic realism, his next project if we are conducting the music, or trying not to hurt anyone. When would be set in the present with if the music is conducting us? asked about where one goes after elements of the fantastical, includ- winning the prestigious Giller ing one of those weird little family 

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VOICE

16 Spring 2016  Acadia English & Theatre 4