“Elvis and Mavis” is first class theatre in Cow Head, Newfoundland

by Keith and Heather Nicol

Mavis speaking to Elvis

       “Elvis and Mavis” has many themes that will resonate with people from Newfoundland where the tug of the big city dreams runs full tilt into the living in the province’s rural areas.  And in the 1990’s when this play is set, the cod fishery is gone so trying to earn a living in Newfoundland’s outports  is harder than ever.  Elvis (Colin Furlong) has just lost his job at the Roddickton fish plant and is frustrated with the general loss of control of Newfoundland’s resources so he decides to blow up the dam at Churchill Falls unless the unfair contract with Quebec can be renegotiated. His wife Mavis (Miranda Power) wants to leave rural Newfoundland and head to Ontario where she can go to university and get a ‘real job’.  Stephanie Payne plays Rose who is the ‘supportive’ neighbor who tries to comfort Mavis through it all. We thought all three actors were superb and the conversations between Rose and Mavis as they discuss their lives between cups of tea are particularly good. The multi-level set creates the interior of the Labrador cabin where Elvis is hiding out while Mavis’s kitchen is positioned a few feet below it. If you like seeing excellent dramatic theatre then don’t miss this new play by Jeff Pitcher in Cow Head this summer. 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. 

     Gros Morne Adventures (GMA) is one of the most established hiking and sea kayaking businesses in the province. They have been operating in Gros Morne National Park since 1990 and they are conveniently located along the waterfront in Norris Point. This location obviously highlights their sea kayak offerings and they will rent kayaks or take you on a tour. On our last visit we missed the scheduled tours so we rented kayaks for a trip out on to Bonne Bay. Co-owner Sue Rendall told us that “the wind tends to come up in the afternoon like it does in many places in Newfoundland and so if you want a smoother paddle think about heading out in the morning."  There are several destinations that you can paddle to from Norris Point depending on the wind and wave activity and what your skill level is. You can hug the shore and or head across the narrows to Gadds Harbour or Shag Cliff. In the distance you can see the Tablelands and they form a great backdrop to your paddling experience. GMA offer several options in terms of guided sea kayak tours from a 2 hour package all the way to a full day paddle. Sue told us another popular option is the nature lover’s tour which runs from 9 am – noon and focuses on the sea life of the area. If you are interested in heading out in a kayak either before or after seeing a TNL performance in Cow Head then check out Gros Morne Adventures: http://www.grosmorneadventures.com/

The Tablelands form a great backdrop to paddling off Norris Point