Golf by day and play by night

A scene from Stones in His Pockets

 by Keith and Heather Nicol

          Some plays suit a location because they mimic what is happening in real life. Cow Head, at the northern tip of Gros Morne National Park, is pretty quiet during the winter but every spring and summer they get invaded by Theatre Newfoundland Labrador (TNL) who put on plays that are often about life in Newfoundland. Artistic Director Jeff Pitcher recently told us that they have between 30-35 people working there through the summer and that they employ many local residents. This year TNL is performing the play “Stones in His Pockets” which is about a Hollywood movie shoot that turns a small Irish town upside down when they arrive. Actors Rory Lambert and Colin Furlong have their hands full playing the roles of 15 people from the director all the way down to young kids trying to land their big movie role. All of this is done without a costume change but by a voice change or a distinctive mannerism. “One of the reasons I wanted to come to Cow Head this summer was because of the challenging role(s) I would have in “Stones in His Pockets” Rory told us after the play. This is a new play for TNL and the play had the sold out audience totally engaged. Although the play is billed as a comedy it has a solemn undercurrent.  For more information on TNL’s Gros Morne Theatre Festival schedule or to book tickets to a show see- www.theatrenewfoundland.com or call 1-877-243-2899.

        Western Newfoundland has several golf courses and one of the newest is right next door to Cow Head at Gros Morne Resort . We were able to get in 9 holes on our last visit and are really looking forward to playing the last 9 on our next visit. The course seems to be easy to get on and is especially scenic with the backdrop of the Long Range Mountains. The course was in good shape when we played it even though the fairways were quite wet from the heavy rain the previous day. There are several elaborate stone bridges over the streams that wind through the par 72 course and on many holes you can see adjacent St. Paul’s Inlet. There is a large hotel and restaurant on site and it would make a fine place to stay for a “golf by day and see a play by night” vacation. For more information on the golf course contact:  www.grosmorneresort.com/

Gros Morne Resort is Western Newfoundland's newest 18 hole course