oN

Seizing the moment

NV ACTOR ADVOCATE OF COMMANDO THEATRE

IT [S a rare playwright in-
deed who dedicates his
work to a dead killer whale.
But the late Skana (last
name unknown) touched
the soul of North Yan-
couver's Kevin Conway.

In the dedication to his first full-
fength play, Conway reflects on
the spirit of Skana, among others,
who have affected his thinking
over the years.

The program also acknowledges
such personal icons as the Beatles,
Bob Dylan, Bruce Cockburn and a
Mohawk elder, Tom Porter.

EVELYN
JACOB

spotlight feature

These eclectic influences are
representative of Conway's wide
range of interests, many of which
he explores in his comi-tragedy,
Oppenheimer's Reserve, set on
the giant chess board in Van-
couver’s east-side park.

Oppenheimer’s Reserve deals
with the big issues — alcoholism,
drug abuse, the environment,
native land claims , nuclear
weapons, to name just a few. This
sounds like pretty heavy stuff, but
in Conway’s view, it’s about time
theatre starts addressing irnportant
issues of the day.

“Theatre is so detached — it is
so caught up in period pieces,””
says Conway, 25. “The fashion is
to stay away from controversy. But
if playwrights want to seize the
day they have to seize the mo-
ment.”

Blair Thomas (played by Con-
way) is a self-loathing alcoholic
who passes the time chasing obli-
vion. Like hundreds of Van-
couver’s homeless caught in a
destructive web of hopelessness,
Thomas defies any attempt at
redemption: #4 S50 an stan ary

it is this gritty reality that lity thar Cone
way brings to the stage. His ability
to successfully personify that reali-
ty was the result of a unique but

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“NEWS photo Mike Wakefield
KEVIN CONWAY exposes the seamy underside of life in his first full-
length play, Oppenheimer’s Reserve, held over at the Station Street Art

Centre until Sept. 2. As one reviewer put it, Conway’s play is “‘one of
those rave new works that actually has something to say.”

one had done that to them, ever.”
And no audience has ever done

See Conway
Page 22

rigorous bit of method acting.

“While | was doing Class
Enemy | usec! to go down to Op-
penheimer Park to do my lines. A
friend told me stories about how
theatricai it was there so | slept
there for one week on a park
bench — just like the bums.”

For days Conway listened to the
gripes of ranters in the park and
on Vancouver's Skid Row street
corners. ‘What I wrote about
was based on the issues ! heard
spoken about in the park. The play
was for the people of the park.
They had their day in court. No

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21 - Wednesday, August 30, 1989 -- North Shore News

Dance auditions set

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School of Dancing located at
1819 Capilano Road in North
Yancouver on Sept. 17 from 2 to

p.m.
Interested parties must be at
the RAD senior grade level or
higher, or a grade four/five Cec-
chett in ballet and a grade four

Sat. Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Ann MacDonald Hall

at Presentation House Theatre
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