Spring 2017 Department of English and Theatre Acadia University

VOLUME 24 SPRING 2017 DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND THEATRE ACADIA UNIVERSITY

Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2017 1 THEATRE REVIEWS dominated areas of the property, while the women, Mrs. Hale (Andrea VOICE Switzer) and Mrs. Peters (Jenna THREE SHORT PLAYS BY Newcomb), search the domestic to SUSAN GLASPELL uncover the truth. The interplay be- 4 (Directed by Anna Migliarisi) tween the men and women of this THEATRE REVIEWS Three Short Plays by Susan Glaspell by Emily MacLeod play is purposefully ironic, in that the Anton in Show Business women make numerous discoveries Minifest 2017 Acadia Theatre Company’s while being belittled by the men for production of three Glaspell plays, paying so much attention to the do- Trifles, Suppressed Desires, and mestic sphere. The detective jokes ATLANTIC UNDERGRADUATE Women’s Honor took place in about the domestics while coming up ENGLISH CONFERENCE November at Lower Denton Theatre. short in the investigation to secure These three plays were written by Minnie’s motive. There are a couple playwright Susan Glaspell in the of key pointed feminist moments that AUTHORS @ ACADIA early 1900s. In Acadia Theatre are not lost on the audience. The play Lee Maracle Armand Ruffo Camilla Gibb Elizabeth Hay Heather O’Neill Lisa Moore André Alexis Eden Robinson Meags Fitzgerald

ENGLISH SOCIETY EVENTS Halloween Party Fundraising Bad Poetry Night

STAFF Sarah Bishop Laurence Gumbridge Trifles: Andrea Switzer, Marcus Wong, Zachery Craig, & Jenna Newcomb Stuart Harris Nicole Havers Company’s production of these achieves a slow, but powerful, simple Sarah MacDonald plays, director Anna Migliarisi push- moment of feminist subversion when Emily MacLeod es the boundaries in terms of the the two women, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Mackenzie Molnar period’s traditional womanly ideals. Peters, pull off an eloquent act of Amy Parkes These productions really played defiance against the men. It seems Kevin Whetter around with the relationship of power that a conclusion can be drawn that Georgia Woolaver between men and women of the time. suggests women have as much to Lance La Rocque In Trifles, we are introduced to offer in the way of usefulness as men a rural setting and the lives of Winnie at the time. The tones of engagement and John Wright, neither of whom of each gender is effective in portray- If you would like to help are actually present in the play. The ing the tension between the roles and with Voice 4, contact play consists of an investigation by realities of each sex during the peri- [email protected] both men and women to uncover the od. Themes of female solidarity, sis- Phone: 585-1146 murder of John Wright. The detective terhood, and the feeling of isolation (Marcus Wong) and Mr. Peters for women that almost feels Victori- (Lewis Coverdale), spend most of an, are present through this produc- their time searching the male tion of Glaspell’s most famous play.

2 Spring 2017  Acadia English & Theatre On a lighter hearted note, Suppressed Desires follows Trifles. The transition between the plays is something worth noting and is a source of entertainment for the audience. The transition, music, and movement all set the mood for what is to come. The almost jazzy 1920s music got the audience excited for what they were about to experience. The setting in Suppressed Desires was infinitely more colourful and guides the audience’s understanding of period and context. The costumes also enhance the audience’s understanding of context; Henrietta (Andrea Switzer) is dressed in a way that matches the urban setting. The hair and hemlines were shorter; Suppressed Desires: Andrea Switzer, Lewis Coverdale, Aphrodite Ioannou women had more freedom as we see with Henrietta’s engagement in psy- aspect of the play picks up when Henrietta feels betrayed by psychoa- choanalysis. There is a lot of passion Henrietta’s sister Mabel (Aphrodite nalysis, even after all she has given in this play. The dialogue between Ioannou) comes to visit and is the field, it is concluded that she does Henrietta and her husband Stephen coaxed into the world of psychoanal- not like its application in her own (Lewis Coverdale) is engaging and ysis at her sister’s request. The com- life. The acting in this particular pro- interesting. They are opposing char- plications that arise from Mabel and duction is lively and captivating as acters in a way: she is a vibrant Stephen’s visits to Henrietta’s psy- the actor’s move freely on the stage. woman seemingly obsessed with the choanalyst are truly humorous. The The third and final play Freudian theory of psychoanalysis, revealed suppressed desires from Woman’s Honor is chronologically while he is portrayed as a calculating these two characters allow for some the last of the three. Glaspell wrote engineer skeptical of his wife’s in- ironic and humorous wordplay or the play in 1918 during a time of sig- volvement in the field. The comedic better yet nameplay. In the end, after nificant change in the lives of post war women. The women in this play illustrate the idea that women could be a number of things in society during the time. Each woman introduced has a distinct personality, style, and motive for wanting to be the woman used as an alibi for Gordon Wallace on the night of November 25th. There are six women in the play who repre- sent six different subsections of women in society. The conversations between these women reveal interesting details about their own lives, but more importantly about women more broadly. The commentary from these women lends to a dissection of what a woman’s honour actually means in society, and how honour for women is really synonymous with virtue.

Woman's Honor: Nile Whidden, Zachery Craig

Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2017 3 These women also meditate on environment. However, as much as combination with being estab- how a man’s honour seems to be I enjoyed the content, what stood lished as moveable (with the actors about everything but male virtue out to me the most was the play’s still onstage) from the very begin- and this echoes notions of mascu- unique way of conveying it. If I ning, the simple act of moving linity, strength and bravery that had to pick one word to describe these pieces in certain ways com- were idealized for men coming this play, it would likely be municated so much in terms of home from war. All three of these “dynamic”: the play within a play, mood and pace. Sometimes we plays challenged the role and per- actors performing multiple roles were rushed from scene to scene, ception of both men and women in (sometimes switching them up in with those comically conspicuous early 20th century life. There are front of the audience with the help stagehands wheeling things around stark differences in each play that of very visible yet theatre-blacks- as actors continue to walk, talk, lend to the overall mood of each clad stagehands), simple set pieces and exchange witty bits of dia- production, but they are tied to- constantly transforming and shift- logue, while other times the previ- gether by the notions of female ing around to suit the content and ous movement and comedy was identity and what it really meant to tone of the current scene, and contrasted starkly with a bleak be female during this period of other unique and refreshing choic- stillness. transition from the Victorian era. I es all contribute to my impression It was also extremely truly enjoyed the intricate dialogue of the play as fluid, unconvention- impressive to see certain actors and irony in all three productions. al, and boundary-breaking. accomplish playing multiple roles, All three had crafty elements that The very dynamic set is often in quick succession. Stepha- made the overall production worth talking about all on its own; nie Clervi, Sarah Surette, and thought provoking, engaging and very funny. The setting of each play changed the respective moods entirely. The transi- tions between each were unique and they geared the audience up for what was to come. Overall, the production of these three Glaspell plays was thoroughly enjoyable.

ANTON IN SHOW BUSINESS (Directed by Robert The full cast of Anton in Show Business Seale) by Nicole Havers whether this was down to direction Anna Van Hoof (who I would like or meticulously written into the to say gave my personal favourite The Acadia Theatre script I’m not sure, but the set performance as director Company’s performance of Anton managed to perfectly reflect the Wikéwitch), all portrayed several in Show Business is outrageous, mood of each scene without hav- characters, each of them also play- funny, and also extremely sad. It ing much to it at all. In most ing at least one male character. focuses on the struggle of being an scenes, the set was completely That isn’t to say that the actor on Canadian stages, while minimal— a door, a few movea- performances of Rachel Leibovitz, also addressing topics such as ble chunks of wall, etc.—but be- Ashley Wells, and Robin Moir, feminism, sex, capitalism, and the cause they were so simple, in who played the three main

4 Spring 2017  Acadia English & Theatre presented in ways that aren’t No one could have prepared me for typically expected. The six the emotional impact that the photo- plays were Y ogafu by Alex graph behind them would have. Rubin, Assumptions by Lynne What was presented as a simple and Bolen, Paper Planes by cute play turned out to be a memori- Michael Pisaturo, Death and al for the young Syrian boy who the Psychiatrist by James was found washed up on the beach Hutchinson, A Whole Other and captured in a haunting photo- Shade of Blue by Gwendolyn graph that dominated the media for Rice, and The First Last Time weeks. by Bruce Boeck. I have been to many Acadia Ashley Wells, Robin Moir, & Rachel Leibovitz As each play opened productions, but these six plays there was a wave of curiosity involved some of the best acting I characters (who, in turn, play the in the air because as the audience, have witnessed so far. The actors Three Sisters), or that of Kate we knew what we were seeing brought so much emotion to their Chevel (as the critic who shouted would not immediately be the end roles which fed into the mood of the out objections on behalf of the audi- message. This became especially audience. You could feel the ence until her touching final scene), true in A Whole Other Shade of passion of each project as they were anything less than impressive. Blue as the stage opened to young unfolded; every moment was used The few expected mumbled lines lovers discussing their honeymoon. to fill in a new piece. Leaving the were greatly overshadowed by the building I raw emotions these actors conveyed could feel a when the set calmed down and the new weight in tone of the play saddened in the fi- my chest cre- nal act. ated by their I was blown away by the con- stories. These vincing defeat, frustration, bitter- weren’t aver- ness, and even real teary-eyes I saw age plays; they in the airport scene and even when, dealt with real although Moir’s character Lisabette issues in was still speaking, the set was being powerful, carried away. accessible ways.

THE 24TH

ANNUAL MINIFEST by Sarah MacDonald

Minifest held six short plays that were different from anything I had ever seen before. The Acadia Theatre company is known to push boundaries and tackle topics not usually discussed under the umbrel- la of school systems. Yet, with each performance at Minifest, they brought something brand new out to play. Topics such as suicide, grow- ing up, same sex couples and heart wrenching media coverage were Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2017 5 THE ANNUAL ATLANTIC UNDERGRADUATE ENGLISH CONFERENCE By Amy Parkes

In the day’s third reading, titled “Theorizing Literature: Critical Approaches to Text,” Sawyer Carnegie gave her talk, “Exploring Judith Butler’s Gender Theory Through Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home.” Erica Marri- son closed out the Acadia cohort taking a different look at Butler in her talk “Objectification as a Perpetuation of Gen- der Performance in Judith Butler’s Gender Trouble” and Andrée Kahn Blumstein’s Representing Acadia, Erica Marrison, Dr. Jon Saklofske, “Misogyny and Idealization.” Amy Parkes, Emily Cann, Josh Foote,& Sawyer Carnegie The last panel was an even split between academic and creative In a steady line of pairs, lections of poetry and one play fiction, and it left everyone excit- trios, and quartets, students and were shared with conference par- ed to talk and engage. their companion faculty from all ticipants. Acadia’s poets read After some time to collect over the Atlantic region trekked from their respective theses: our thoughts, we headed down to through the unseasonable cold to Emily Cann’s Catching Feeling the banquet. Acadia sat with the The Old Triangle in downtown and Amy Parkes’ Il-Bennej u il- students from Dalhousie and Charlottetown, PEI on Friday, Baħħar: The Mason and the King’s College, and after intro- March 3, 2017. Not a happy acci- Mariner. It was a great kick-off to ductions conversation was happy dent but instead the culmination the conference – promoting feel- and greatly varied, from academic of months of hard work by the ings of community and academic theory to personal anecdotes. UPEI coordinating team, the 2017 kinship alike among the different After dinner, stragglers stayed in year of the Annual Atlantic Un- schools and their students. the reception room, talking long dergraduate English Conference The following day started into the night. was already in full swing. From early, with four panels running Sunday morning had us Acadia’s English Department, simultaneously. Josh Foote’s back on the road, headed home to Emily Cann, Sawyer Carnegie, presentation on Judith Butler and the Annapolis Valley. The Acadia Josh Foote, Erica Marrison, Amy Alison Bechdel started the Acadia English Society and the partici- Parkes, and Dr. Jon Saklofske readings for the day. After a sec- pants of AAUEC 17 want to ex- were in attendance. ond panel and some time to min- tend their thanks to the professors That evening, with good gle with students from other who supported and encouraged us eats and better company, four col- schools, it was back to the panels. along the way.

6 Spring 2017  Acadia English & Theatre ACADIA ENGLISH SOCIETY EVENTS

HALLOWEEN PARTY! FUNDRAISING BAD POETRY NIGHT By Mackenzie Molnar By Stuart Harris By Sarah MacDonald

Sometimes awful poems The Acadia English Socie- Fundraising this year has need to be recognized. It might ty held our annual Halloween been essential for the Acadia not be pretty—outlets for mock- party on October 27th, just a tiny English Society and the Annual ery tend not to be—but inferior bit away from the real Hallow- Atlantic Undergraduate English attempts at “the right words in the een! It was definitely one of our Conference, and our events right order” can be illuminating most successful parties of the would not have been possible in themselves, if only because year. Party-goers were encour- without the support of the facuty they provide us with a new appre- aged to wear literary costumes of and students at Acadia Universi- ciation for something far better. their choosing for a chance at ty. First semester we had a suc- And let’s be honest with our- winning a prize. Jon Saklofske cessful bake sale where the mon- selves: we’d be lying if we said took first place with his Hagrid ey we fundraised went to sup- those examples don’t inspire costume and matching Hedwig. porting five students who had the some cheap laughs, too. opportunity to attend the Annual If nothing else, they Atlantic Undergraduate English certainly have the poten- tial to draw a crowd. Last fall’s Bad Poetry Night at T.A.N Coffee, traditionally the Acadia English Society’s first event of the year, was Other amazing costumes once again met with en- included The Paperbag thusiasm in celebrating Princess, a fisherman and the lowest of the form his mermaid, a knight from and putting parodic Alice in Wonderland and twists on old favourites. many more. The creativity Whether they were pub- was outstanding! Georgia Woolaver, Stuart Harris, Mackenzie Molnar lished works or embar- Later on, we rassing personal experi- dimmed the lights and told scary Conference. Second semester we ments, nothing escaped the well- stories to set the mood. After that did a shared bake and book sale meaning scrutiny of the at- we began splitting into teams; with the help of Estuary. The tendees. Highlights of the night everyone participated in a murder money raised from this fundraiser included readings from William mystery riddle game. Some peo- will be split with Estuary where it Topaz McGonagall of Tay Bridge ple were stumped at first but the was used to print this year’s edi- Tragedy infamy, hailed as one of game went surprisingly fast once tion of Estuary. The remaining the worst poets in the English we were all on the same page! half went towards the Annual canon; lesser-known odes by the After a few rounds of charades Atlantic Undergraduate English late sci-fi extraordinaire Ray and an intense game of Zip Zap Conference and to help make oth- Bradbury; and an encore spoken- Zop, everyone left with a Hallow- er events in the future possible. word rendition of Ram Jam’s een goodie bag in hand, ready to We would like to thank the facul- Black Betty (bam-ba-lam). celebrate Halloween in just a few ty and the students for making days! fundraising possible.

Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2017 7  AUTHORS @ ACADIA 

A WEEKEND WITH its rhythm, its ease, the way we can his collection of poetry The Thun- slip into poetry, story, even song derbird Poems. This poetry collec- ARMAND RUFFO AND and dance, break the tedium with a tion was inspired by the art and life LEE MARACLE joke, particularly an anti-colonial of Norval Morrisseau, a celebrated By Laurence Gumbridge joke” (xii). She also read from Ojibway artist. Celia’s Song and from her new Catherine Martin, an award- th September 17-19 poetry collection Talking to the winning Mi'kmaq film maker and Lee Maracle and Diaspora. Maracle proved to be a Nancy's Chair of Women and Armand Garnet powerful, challenging speaker, not Gender Studies at Mt. St. Vincent Ruffo read from afraid to get prickly with the audi- University, performed “Eagle” to recent works and ence— she rather forcefully de- honor Ruffo and his works in song, presented the fas- manded an audience member to de- setting a tone of welcome and com- cinating film A fine the term “decolonization”! This munity for everyone in the room. Windigo Tale, made for an intense, meaningful Following Martin’s performance, Ruffo’s directorial talk. Her book is highly recom- Ruffo himself addressed the audi- debut (Maracle plays one of the mended! ence directly, drawing listeners in characters, Evelyn). An award- with his sincere love for both the art winning film, A Windigo Tale, in and the artist on which his recent the guise of a mystery, explores the work is focused. The collection of long-range effects, across genera- poetry The Thunderbird Poems is in tions, of the residential school sys- a sense a continuation of and a com- tem in Canada. Ruffo, a professor, panion piece to Man Changing into made the film, in part, to break out Thunderbird, a biography about of the limits of conventional aca- Morrisseau which Ruffo wrote in demic life. 2014. In the forward to his poetry th On the 18 , Maracle read collection, Ruffo writes that “what I from Memory Serves: Oratories could not fit into the prose naturally (NeWest Press, 2015). The collec- went into the poetry,” while also tion is made up of talks Maracle has stating that the biography is not re- given over the last twenty years, quired reading to fully appreciate focusing on the most crucial issue the poetry. To this end, each poem for her: “It is impossible to give a is prefaced with relevant biograph- lecture or speak on any serious issue ical details about Morrisseau. Tell- in the Indigenous world without ing the audience about the circum- placing it in the context of colonial- stances which led to writing the po- ism and our need for decoloniza- etry collection, Ruffo recounted tion” (Memory Serves xi). Like the how he was able to meet with Mor- writer Leanne Simpson who last risseau himself while writing the year gave a talk on decolonizing the ARMAND GARNET previously published academy drawing on her remarkable RUFFO biography. This was essay “Land as Pedagogy” Nish- By Georgia Woolaver an experience the naabeg Intelligence and Rebellious author described as Transformation,” Maracle connects On September 19th, inspiring, intimidat- orality to the First Nations way of Authors @Acadia was delighted ing, and at times thinking, breaking away from the to hear Armand Garnet Ruffo, an overwhelming, due narrowness of print-consciousness: accomplished Anishinaabe to Morrisseau’s “I love speaking. I love our orality, scholar and author, reading from forceful personality.

8 Spring 2017 Acadia English & Theatre In this meeting, Ruffo received a also explained that part of his rea- up every word as she discussed

“shamanic blessing” from Morris- soning for using his poetry to cre- and read a passage from her recent seau to continue with the project, a ate a greater context for Morris- memoir: This is Happy. blessing Ruffo described as both seau's art is that Morrisseau him- As a novelist and a person an honour and humbling. self wanted his art to be widely who still has a great deal of life left As Ruffo read from his col- accessible, and to allow people of to live, Gibb explained, writing a lection of poetry, the story created all backgrounds to connect through memoir was not something that she by Ruffo’s interweaving of Morris- his art. intended to do. However, when a seau's art, life, and the poetry itself After the conclusion of the dramatic change occurred in her was enthralling. Each poem in the reading, the author was happy to life, she felt unable to write her collection is ekphrastic, meaning stay and speak to members of the usual fiction. “My life fell to shit, that it was inspired by an existing audience. His warmth, kindness, so I wrote a memoir,” she piece of art, in this case specific and humor made meeting him a explained frankly. “Fiction was a paintings by Morrisseau. Ruffo wonderful experience. Though luxury I couldn’t afford.” Howev- connects the poetry to the paintings Morrisseau passed away in 2007 er, Gibb did say that her memoir in a concrete way by giving his due to a longstanding battle with was partly informed by her fiction poems the same title as the corre- Parkinson’s disease, by bringing (novels such as Mouthing the sponding inspirational painting, attention to Morrisseau’s art and Words and Sweetness in the Belly), and each poem is preceded by an connecting the art to the life of the but also that it was more cyclical epigraph containing relevant de- artist, Ruffo's poetry helps to keep than that, with her life informing tails about the artist’s life which alive the legacy of a great Native her fiction, and themes of her fic- can be found represented in the Canadian artist for future tion (identity, belonging, disloca- poetry. The result is an emotional generations. tion, etc.), informing writing about poetical narrative, where the reader her life. is gently guided through both the CAMILLA GIBB art and biography of Morrisseau in By Nicole Havers poetry. Ruffo's readings powerfully When I found a seat in the incorporate a careful blend of large classroom that author Camil- harsh truth, cultural context, and la Gibb was to present in, and respect for the artist. These read- looked around at the eager faces ings included, “Thunderbird, scattered throughout the elevated u 1960,” “Indian Jesus Christ, 1974,” -shaped rows, I couldn’t help but “Bear Vision, 1964,” “Windigo, notice the distance between us and 1979” and several other works. the podium. Being unfamiliar with Ruffo explained that he attempts to Gibb as a speaker, I predicted that Although I knew that Gibb “inject meaning” into his work, so she would stand at the front and was reading from her memoir, the that readers gain a more in depth speak in that authoritative, inacces- line between truth and fiction understanding of what inspires sible way that is sometimes ex- seemed a little blurry for me as him. He described this process as a pected from established authors well. I forgot at times that I was bringing together of the visual and who stand at far away podiums. not listening to a rich, finely craft- the story, as each contributes to the However, I was proven wrong al- ed work of fiction when she read other as a part of a greater context. most instantly when Gibb began to part of This is Happy aloud. I was As such, Ruffo told the audience speak. Her professional and com- skeptical when I heard that a mem- that the poems tend to reflect in petent yet gentle and down-to- oir would be the focus of the read- their tone the painting style and earth way of speaking closed the ing, but what I did not realize is content—including traditional gap between her and those of us that Gibb is first and foremost a symbols of power and connection, who came to listen to her. We gifted storyteller, whether she is and Morrisseau’s use of color as found ourselves leaning forward working with fact or fiction. Lis- his artistic style evolves. Ruffo with our chins on our hands, eating tening to her read, I would forget

Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2017 9 that the “I” in the story was, in fact, Daydreams of Angels, and her up- Gibb in her twenties, battling mental coming novel The Lonely Hearts illness while attending Oxford, and Hotel. remembering the truth of the story She cited her self-purported made the excerpt all the more dark sense of humour, her penchant moving. for thinking up whimsical conceits, Gibb mentioned after reading and for always asking “wouldn’t it from her book that the title might be be funny if…?” as the driving forces a little ironic, as it is less about striv- behind her new collection. O’Neill’s ing for complete happiness, and more slightly nervous sounding and al- about “enough”: Being happy most childlike tone of voice con- enough; being good enough. Leaving trasted wonderfully with the true the event, signed copy in hand, I was stories she told from her highly dys- still going over her words in my functional childhood and the de- head, feeling contemplative and bit- lightfully shocking jokes and twist- tersweet. I look forward to reading One of the main motifs of the ed metaphors in the excerpts she read This is Happy until I reach the excerpt Hay read aloud was related from Daydreams. “happy enough” ending. to what it means to be Canadian. For Every bit of what she read, me, one of hundreds of answers to despite or because of the humour ELIZABETH HAY that question is “listening to Stuart (depending on your perspective) By Nicole Havers McLean’s Vinyl Cafe on CBC radio sounded like poetry. “I’m just a poet while making grilled cheese sand- in disguise,” she said, in answer to a Fifteen years ago, Elizabeth wiches and feeling the cold of winter question from a woman who came to Hay was driving from Boston to Ot- coming through the kitchen win- the reading with her book club. Ap- tawa with her ten-year-old son when dow.” So for me it was fascinating parently, O’Neill wrote poetry before he asked her out of the blue: “What that, at least to my ears, Hay’s way she was a novelist, and it shows. It was the worst thing you’ve ever of telling a story sounded very much makes sense that she professes style done?” This question, which she like McLean’s. She spoke as if there to be as important as content. The could not answer and neither could was no book in front of her, rarely selections from both books that she he, stuck in her mind. She asked her- looking down at the page, like she read from were full of rich imagery self: “What was troubling my son was reclining in an armchair in front and intricately constructed figurative that I knew nothing about?” of a fireplace and calmly reciting a language. Though they took many On October 17th, Hay came to story that feels true to her heart. Her drafts to complete, both the excerpts Acadia to read from His Whole Life, voice was smooth and measured, and themselves and the way she read a novel inspired by that moment, she paused often to let her well- them seemed effortless in all the amongst other things. She said that crafted and earnestly read words sink right ways. she let her memories and regrets seep in. Listening to her, I felt into the story. Referring to the fic- like I was back in the tionalized version of her son, who in kitchen smelling burnt reality was partial to the United cheese and snow. States (where his father was born), and was never allowed to have a dog, HEATHER O’NEILL she said: “In this book I will give the By Nicole Havers boy a dog, and the boy is going to love Canada.” That boy became Jim, On November 23, who experiences simple moments in 2016, Heather O’Neill, life, juxtaposed against having to author of the award win- deal with a family that is coming ning novel Lullabies for apart, and set against the backdrop of Little Criminals, came to a divided Canada that threatens to Acadia to read from her come undone as well. new book of short stories

10 Spring 2017  Acadia English & Theatre

be milder than some of her other Wednesday night, February works, it was apparent that this 8th, acclaimed writer André Alexis did not take away the power read from his current work in pro- from these dramatic scenes of gress, as well as Pastoral, Fifteen teenage life. After reading, Dogs, and Hidden Keys, an enter- Moore explained that the idea to taining story about a plot hatched venture into a new genre came by a thief and a heroin addict. to her when she decided that she Willow, the addict, tells Tancred, wanted to explore the idea of the thief, that she and each of her friendships between young four siblings have inherited a mys- women, which she believes are terious object; these taken together some of the most intense and hold a clue to a large treasure. close kinds of relationships. Now Alexis has written a mystery When answering questions from novel. This choice of genre is in LISA MOORE the audience after the reading, itself interesting, a part of a vision By Nicole Havers Moore stated that to bring some that suddenly appeared years ago. authenticity to Flannery, she bor- He read from a document explain- On January 17th, 2017, rowed story ideas from her chil- ing this vision and how all five of award-winning author of Alligator dren’s lives, and from other true his projected novels, some yet-to- and February Lisa Moore read and often shocking stories about be-written, relate. from her new young adult novel: moments in the lives of real teen- All his works are of a piece, Flannery in the KCIC auditorium. agers. a single essential story to be ex- She began by dedicating the read- It was refreshing to see an plored through five different gen- ing to the late Herb Wyile and his acclaimed author writing young res. He explained in an interview work on Atlantic Canada which adult fiction, a genre which is of- with Quill and Quire: “I wanted to she, as a Newfoundlander, was ten overlooked or not taken seri- tell it as a pastoral (that is, a tale extremely grateful for. ously, and promoting it to an ex- set in an idealized rural world), as After making this gesture, cited and intrigued adult audience. an apologue (a moral tale involv- Moore began to speak about Flan- As Moore said herself: both adults ing animals), as a quest narrative nery. She told the sizable audience and young people can relate to the (with Treasure Island in mind), as that the novel is both her first struggles of being a teenager. a ghost story like Ugetsu Monoga- young adult book, and the first tari), and as a kind of Harlequin book she has written in the first romance. The novels were sug- person. When she writes a new gested not by personal experience, book, Moore explained, she tries not by grief or exile or post- to “write something that is, for- traumatic stress, but by the art of mally, a challenge” for her. Be- storytelling itself.” The new novel cause she took on the challenge of is part of his quincunx. When he writing a novel unlike one she had read from Fifteen Dogs—a dog ever written before, Flannery is a lover and friend of mine at the slightly different kind of read from reading said it was the one book her other books, with more hu- she hadn’t read: “things just don’t mour and more of a gentle tone, go very well for the dogs!” A though she says she did not inten- unique, philosophical person, tionally hold back because of her Alexis made this event one of the target audience. more fascinating readings of the Moore then read a few year. excerpts from the book in a clear, (with a little help from Quill & ANDRÉ ALEXIS Quire www.quillandquire.com/ expressive voice, looking up dra- By Laurence Gumbridge authors/2015/03/26/last-word- matically every now and then for andre-alexis-on-a-matter-of-style) emphasis. While Flannery might

Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2017 11 talk about things like how the MEAGS FITZGERALD youth-oriented ebook version of By Amy Parkes Monkey Beach contains a footnote that explains what Betamax and Author and artist Meags VHS are. Fitzgerald was the speaker at After the reading, Robinson Authors @ Acadia on March 27, answered questions from the audi- 2017. Fitzgerald’s friendly man- ence. In her answers, she spoke ner and the warm colours of her about her newfound love for her artwork kept all listeners engaged. hometown of Kitimat Village: She began by sharing work from “When I moved home, I thought it her first collection, Photobooth: A would just be for six months-- but Biography. Not focused on a sin- I never left!”, about how Monkey gle individual, this book instead Beach ended up saving the real tells the story of the Photomat, as Monkey Beach from being it was marketed, and touches on logged, and her “messy” process how that machine in turn has been of novel-writing transformed one telling our stories since the novel into a trilogy. Afterward, 1930s. Then she read from Long she was presented with a gift, and Red Hair, a graphic novel that EDEN ROBINSON spoke one-on-one with several recollects the author’s childhood By Nicole Havers fans of hers. and teenaged years, especially dealing with topics like learning After being introduced about queerness and puberty. with a prayer and chant, Eden Fitzgerald even Robinson took the floor in front of shared videos of an especially large audience at the her double- K.C. Irving Centre auditorium. handed artistic Because she had been introduced style, which she as unafraid of “confronting the plans to tackle bleaker parts of life” in her books, in her next it was surprising and and refresh- project. ing when she began to speaking in a cheerful but down-to-earth way and punctuating her sentences with whole-hearted laughter. Robinson read from her novel Son of a Trickster—after joking about the challenges of reading from a book in which the characters swear more than she does and how she had selected a fairly “clean” section—and, as the “clean” section was not very long, she also read from Monkey Beach. When she turned to the books, she put on a more toned down “reading voice” made the funny parts all the more funny, and helped the serious moments hit home. Still, she often paused and switched back to her normal, more upbeat speaking voice to

12 Spring 2017  Acadia English & Theatre A COZY AFTERNOON WITH

ERIN WUNKER: NOTES

FROM A FEMINIST KILLJOY: ESSAYS ON EVERYDAY LIFE BOOK LAUNCH By Nicole Havers topics (to reflect daily life) there is, Wunker explained, a reason why the On December 1st, 2016, Dr. chapter about rape culture ended up Erin Wunker, assistant professor at being the longest. Acadia and Chair of the executive After introducing the book and board for Canadian Women in the herself, Wunker discussed many top- Literary Arts (CWILA), launched her ics, from the inspiration for the book book: Notes from a Feminist Killjoy: and the publishing process to her fa- Essays on Everyday Life. Dozens vouring of confessional writing and huddled together in the cramped but speaking from one’s own personal welcoming space in the back section standpoint, a style often associated of Box of Delights bookstore, some with feminism. She then moved into squished together on benches, some reading an engrossing selection from sprawled out on the carpet, and the the lengthy rape culture chapter that luckier ones perched on plastic fold- rang disturbingly true, and then into a ing chairs to listen to Wunker speak lighter-toned question period. from the piano bench at the end of the room. Despite the modest venue, Wunker was humble in her presentation, saying before she began that “this is the most nervous I’ve been” presenting her work for an audience. Her nervousness did not show very much, however, and she began speaking in a steady, competent tone. She first explained the title of the book, and how the book came to be. She described the term “feminist killjoy” (coined by feminist theorist Sara Ahmed). Wunker explained that identifying oneself as a “killjoy” is not about killing joy in general, but Near the end, Wunker generously recognizing the concept of what hap- offered to give a free PDF version of piness is supposed to look like as an her book to any “starving students” “old boys club” which often fails to who might want to read it. This, recognize the happiness of women along with the intimate environment and other marginalized groups. This and Wunker’s open and kind is the perspective from which the demeanour seemed to leave everyone book is written—one which seeks to who attended the launch with a warm pull apart what is considered normal feeling of community as they min- or happy for some but is linked to the gled with each other and helped one oppression of others. While the book another fold and stack the chairs.  contains a mixture of light and heavy

Acadia English & Theatre  Spring 2017 13 ON HERB WYILE AND both its quantity and it quality: over twenty- THE TENTH five refereed articles or THOMAS RADDALL conference proceedings, three single-authored SYMPOSIUM books published by By Kevin Whetter leading Canadian (and refereed) presses, and Herb Wyile and I, together an assortment of editori- with Richard Cunningham, all al duties! started in the same year at Acadia One of the (2001), and my office has ever many tasks Herb under- since then been located next to took for the Department Herb’s. The Department of Eng- was running several lish and Theatre at Acadia – as Raddall symposia. The readers of Voice 4 will already Thomas H. Raddall know – is incredibly collegial and symposium was estab- supportive, but the contingencies lished by bequest in of hiring mean that my sense of 1989 to honour Thomas Acadia and of the Department has Raddall’s contributions always been connected to my to Atlantic Canadian meeting and becoming friends history and literature. with Herb. The symposium is held on an oc- Thoughts from the Eastern Edge: Over the last sixteen years I casional basis at Acadia Universi- In Celebration of Dr. Herb Wyile. have been repeatedly struck by ty, and brings together writers Needless to say, the Wyile Herb’s erudition and profession- and scholars in the field. Herb Raddall is a co-operative effort, alism: he was a popular, inspir- hosted several symposia, all high- and I am working closely with ing, and rigorous teacher and su- ly successful. Thus, when Herb several of Herb’s friends in the pervisor, a good university citi- died suddenly in 2016, it seemed Atlantic Canadian community to zen, and – though he would deny natural to honour his own contri- get this gig up and running, espe- it – a publishing deity who quiet- butions to the discipline with a cially Drs. Paul Chafe, Alexander ly but efficiently produced a se- symposium in his honour. So it is MacLeod, and Thomas Hodd. ries of books and articles that that I find myself (a mediaevalist The symposium could not happen came to define the study of re- who thinks the modern era was in without them. The Wyile Raddall gionalism in Atlantic Canadian full swing by 1800) with the dis- Symposium takes place July 6-8. Literature. Herb’s scholarly out- tinct honour of hosting the Tenth See http://english.acadiau.ca/get- put was equally impressive for Thomas Raddall Symposium: involved/raddall-10.html

VOICE 4, The Voice of the 4th Floor BAC Department of English and Theatre is typeset in Times New Roman and printed at the Acadia Print Shop. For the online version and more about Acadia’s Department of English and Theatre see http://english.acadiau.ca/

VOICE

14 Spring 2017  Acadia English & Theatre 4