22 - Wednesday, August 1, 1990 - North Shore News

books

B.C. books tell

ROM THE response received whenever local history

is discussed in this column it would appear that our

province’s roots and development fascinate many readers as much as they obviously do me.

The five books covered this from the personal diaties and week explore the length and correspondence of the partici- breadth of British Columbia, pants, the From Trail to Rail from the goldfields of Barker- hooks are ftest-person accounts ville to the muddy streets of well illustrated with archival young Victoria, from the craggy photographs and maps. Kootenays to the Merritt and Both af these excellent tittle Nicola Valley then north to books contain extensive Prince George, Fort St. James bibliographies and indexes. and Fort Fraser. (They may not, however, be

They are not mesely chroni- readily available in your cles of events from both the re- neighborhood bookstore. It this cent and distant past, but per- is the case. you can order them

es Ra directly from the author- publisher by writing to: P.O. Box 1502. Vanderhoot, B.C.. VO} 3A0.:

Twelve years of “countless hours and discussion” have ti- nally come to an impressive end tor the Nicala Valley Arc- chives Association with the publication of Merritt & the Nicola Valley — An Il- lustzated History (Sonotek;:

tales of hardship

personal favorite, Kootenay

Country (GTE Travel Enter-

prises/Alaska Northwest Books;

TZ LVAVING \ \ 208 pp.: $12.95). Ernest ‘‘Fee’’ Heilman, 72 / and a Cranbrook resident, is a

L master raconteir as the well- ( | JUN) \ \

known writer/photographer, One Man's Life in the Canadian Rockies

Andy Russell, observes in his introduction to this collection of non-fiction stories.

Kootenay Country is, in ef- fect, an abbreviated autobiography of this former hunting guide and outdoors writer, told in 33 anecdotal segments.

These slices of life begin with unadorned tales from Hellman’s childhood, one replete with the uncomplicated boyhood misadventures of the 19205 and 1930s.

Fishing trips, hair-raising homemade raft mishaps and the fine ant of slingshot con- struction will still strike a resonating chord in many readers’ owvn memories despite the span of time between

MIKE

book review

sonal stories of hardship, dar-

ing, tragedy and perseverance 115 pp.; $14.95). > Hellman’s youth and that expe- in Canada’s westernmost pro- This large-format retrospec- “gli rienced by others of later vince. All five titles are recom- tive tracks human settlement in - SSE periods. (1 was amused to mended to B.C. history buffs. the area, from that of the Inte- . “ BS discover just how many of

Sy

Hellman’s escapades, some death-tempting, were part of

“ sas. . _— SPEED COMA pgs Ty AA my own follies as a youngster ERNEST EEE HELLER sn tm 32 years Ns mr) With a Fo reis ord by A 2 “Ruwell As Hellman progresses, we

encounter the deprivations of ’ the Great Depressian, the joys habits enabled him to advance from a fence-builder to im-

and difficulties of raising a grow- porter and major mercantile

ing family and, an abiding theme, Hellman’s unblushing presence in the Cariboo’s gold fields and in the new port of

love-affair with the outdoors in Victoria.

Todd and his descendants became firmly entrenched as members of the B.C. establishment despite tragic deaths, disasters and other obstacles that make this story so rich in human drama.

Audrey Smediey-L’ Heureux’s Vanderhoof-based Northern B.C. Book Publishing has recently released two titles charting the European and Native adventures of frontier life in the region extending from Fort (Prince) George to Fort St. James and Fort Fraser.

From Trait to Rail — Surveys and Gold 1862-1904 (104 pp.; $9.95) and From Trail to Rail — Settlement Begins 1905-1914 (84 pp.; $9.95) recount the fascinating and arduous struggles of the men and women whose labor and vision opened up the Fraser and Nechako River wa- tersheds.

rior Coast Salish through the . Europeans who founded the : area’s principal villages, towns and cities.

in addition to the invaluable index and references, Merritt & the Nicola Valley provides readers with an informative text, numerous maps and sket- ches and over 200 historical photographs. All royalties from the sale of Merritt & the Nicola Valley go to the NVAA.

Rags-to-riches stories are always intriguing and this is certainly the case with Valerie Green's superbly-researched and compelling biography of one of B.C.’s most influential families, the Todds.

price stated) commences with the humble background of the Todds in 18th century Ireland then quickly progresses to their New World struggles in eastern Canada. But Excelsior! firmly grabs the reader's interest when Green begins describing the exploits of Jacob Todd, the man who set out to make his fortune in the future province of British Columbia in 1862.

Todd’s good fortune,

Kootenay Country is a rare reading experience: simple, true stories well-told with humor, compassion and a not- so-subtle whiff of mischief; stories of a period when great store was still placed in the in- stilling of values such as honor, integrity and self-reliance.

Relying heavily on excerpts

around town

AROUND TOWN, the North Shore News’ entertainment listing, is a free service provided for North Shore and Vancouver cultural events. Deadline is the Friday prior to the Wednesday issue you request. Only writter: in- formation is accepted. The News will do its best to ensure the items appear in the paper, but space constraints may limit the number of submissions printed. North Shore events are given priority.

North Shore

Presentation House: Gas/ight. A gothic thriller of madness and murder. To Aug. 4. Wed-Sat at 8 p.m. $10/7. Res: 986-1351.

Elsewhere

Arts Club, Granville Island: Six Women With Brain Death or Expiring

Excelsior! (Orca; 139 pp.; no

NOW:

Minds Want to Know. Heady musical

satire in six-part harmony, directed by Jeff Hyslop. Mon.-Fri. at 8:30 p.m. Sat. 6 and 9:30 p.m. 2 for 1 mat, Wed. at 5

p.m. Arts Club, Seymour Street: Dead Serious. Psychological thriller set in B.C. Mon-Fri at 8:30. Sat. at 6 and 9:30 p.m.

Arts Club Revue Theatre: Ain't Misbehavin’. Mon.-Fri. at 8:30 p.m. Sat. at 6 and 9:30 p.m. Wed. mat. at 5

p.m. All res: 687-1644, Full House Theatre: Bard on the Beach. A Midsummer's Night Dream starring North Shore actors Gerry MacKay and Don Williams. To Aug. 26 at 8 p.m., 2 p.m. matinees Sat. ani Sun, At the big tent in Vanier Park. $7.50 at the door, or Ticketmaster. Res: 662-8011 or 280-3311. Vancouver Little Theatre: SMACK dab. Modern love story by Canadian playwright Erika Courvoisier, starring North Van's Victoria Maxwell. Aug.5- 11. at 8 p.m. 3102 Main Street. Two pay-what-you-can matinees: Aug. 8 and 11 at 2:30 p.m. Res: 876-4165. Tamahnous Theatre: 5 Blood Alley.

Owning school lets

From page 19

and as Davis remembers, Sutherland was no Academy Award-winner in his school days. “Sutherland was a very bad ac- tor in university,” he says, “‘I don‘t even think he’d mind me saying that. However, | was in- spired by his conviction to act.” Inspired maybe, but Davis didn’t follow suit with his own acting ca- er, He chose a career in direc- »a instead, because he believed

acting was ‘‘a play-thing,”” whereas directing was ‘‘a more serious pursuil.””

Determined to find out what made acting a serious pursuit, Davis enrolled in the London Academy of Music, Drama and Art.

And that, some 30 years later, prompted him to open his own acting school in Vancouver. The William Davis Centre for Actor's Study opened last March on West Sth Avenue near Burrard Street.

business acumen and thrifty

To Aug. 4. at 8:30 p.m. Experimenta! theatre that takes place in Gastown’s Blood Alley. Tues-Sun. 101 Powell! Street. Tickets: 688-8399. Limited seating.

Studio 58: Aristocrats. The reunion of the O'Donnell family of Ballybeg, Ireland. To Aug.11 at 3 p.m. Previews: july 25 and 26 at 8 p.m. Tues-Sat. at 3 pms Sun. at 3 and 8 p.m. Res: 324.

North Shore

Presentation House Gallery: Wyn Celeynse: Film Work. Complex yet ac- cessible reflections of our private iden- tities. Aug. 4-Sept. 9.

West Vancouver Memorial Library: Lyn Noble. Watercolors. All paintings are for sale. To Aug. 31. Info: 926- 3291, local 311.

North Shore Museum and Archives: Gadgets and Mis-inventions, Free. Wea.-Sun. 1-4 p.m. 209 W, 4th. Info: 987-5618.

The Eerry Building, Ambleside Landing: Daniel Izzard. To Aug. 12. Hours: 12 noon to 8 p.m.

North Vancouver Provincial Court-

And now we come to my

house Gallery: Handmade prints from Dundarave Print Workshop. To Aug. 9.

B.C. Museum of Mining: Guided underground mine tours, mining photos and memorabilia. Britannia Beach on Sea to Sky Highway #99. To Oct. 7. Hours 10 a.m to 5 p.m., daily. Info: 688-8735.

Elsewhere

Surrey Art Gallery: West Vancouver sculptor Davide Pan. Recent sculptures and paintings. Aug. 11-Sept. Tt, Meet the artist Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

North Shore

Ambleside Park: Cher Bloom. Vocals and acoustic guitar. Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. Weather permitting.

Galiano Trio. Aug. 5 at 7 p.m.

St. Catherines Church: Opera workshop final performance. Aug. 5 at 2 p.m., 1058 Ridgewood, North Van. By donation. Info: 980-4329. Horseshoe Bay Plaza: Matrix Dance Trio, Aug. 5 at 1:30 p.m.

Lonsdale Quay Market: All That jazz. With Vancouver’s own Jazzmanian Devils and jazz-maniac juggler, David

Cassell. Aug. 5 at 2 p.m. Free. Info: 985-6261.

Cates Park: Metropolitan Pops Band. Aug. 6, 2-3 p.m.

Panorama Park: Scottish piper Kelly Watts, 2-3 p.m.

Elsewhere

Commodore Ballroom: Dancelebra- tion, With locals Judith Marcuse Dance Company. Aug. 9-10 at 8 p.m. Tickets: 280-4444,

North Shore

Tugs Pub at Lonsdale Quay Hotel: Stand-up comedy every Wed. night at 9 p.m.

Coaches: Live entertainment Thurs.- Sat. Karaoke sing-a-long night every Sat. at 6 p.m.

Raven Inn: Comedy nights every se- cond Sunday.

Davis teach his own way

After working for large theatre companies ~ Davis was artistic director for the National Theatre School of Canada for five years and director for the Vancouver Plavhouse Acting School from 1985-87 —- it was a relief to open his own school, to be his own boss and follow his own vision.

“To do it myself,’”’ he says, ‘‘is like setting myself free. | can do it the way I think it should be done. I can set the standards, the methods. The only people | have

to satisfy are my students.”

But there’s more to it than sim- ply having it his own way. For Davis, a tall, elegant man, working with and teaching students the craft is obviously a joy — emotion wells up in his eyes when he talks about his school.

“The thing that keeps me fired up absut this is that I'm dealing with. ate, I'm studying how people live, that’s what I'm constantly leoking at. That's the fire of it.”

Davis says his method of

teaching is different from most ac- ting schools: ‘‘I don’t yell at people.”

Nor does he deceive his stu- dents — who range in age from 18 to 78 — with starry-eyed promises of glory.

“There are some people who think that all there is is fame and riches to be made. Mostly, it’s hard work, disappointment and frustration, but the rewards come from the work,” he says.