William Shakespeare wrote: “All the world’s a stage.”
Four-hundred years later and theatre continues to be a force for entertainment and education in the world and the North Shore. Its range is limitless and its effect immediate, with the audience an essential element in the journey that takes place on stage.
Community theatre has flourished on the North Shore since the 1940s. Over the years, audiences have experienced theatre in all its variety, thanks to the commitment and talent of the volunteers that bring a production to life on stage.
Their contributions are recognized annually at Theatre BC’s Festival of Plays, where 10 theatre zones from throughout B.C. compete in a provincial competition of the arts. To make it to the main stage, community theatre companies must first win the competition in their own backyard.
The North Shore theatre “playoffs” are in full swing now at Presentation House. The competition culminates on May 5, with Ups & Downs from North Vancouver’s John McGie and Piss & Vinegar Theatre, followed by the awards ceremony that will send one theatre company to the main stage finals.
Enter Mike Jarvis to share his experience onstage and behind the scenes in community theatre.
Jarvis entered community theatre at the deep end. Deep Cove Stage Society’s pantomime, Aladdin, was missing an actor to play Widow Twankey. The Widow is a variation on the Dame, an essential character in panto, always played by a man. Would Jarvis step into the role? With some trepidation, he said yes.
“I always had the taste for showbiz and playing the Dame. You can get away with murder – onstage, of course. I enjoyed the camaraderie of theatre onstage and off, and the whole process of putting on a play. I’ve been with Deep Cove Stage ever since.”
Jarvis and his bride, Caroline Robertson, arrived in Vancouver from England on July 2, 1968. By 1972, the family had settled in Deep Cove.
“In those days, the Dollarton Highway was the only access to Deep Cove by land. The road follows the shoreline and was lined with trees so it was like disappearing into the country as we drove, and there at the end of the road was this quiet little village that felt like home.”
From his home base in Deep Cove, Jarvis and his brother, John, grew their business, Deeler’s Antiques, into a household name across the Lower Mainland.
Remember the Spaghetti Factory? The Jarvis brothers furnished the restaurant chain and a host of others with antiques they imported from England by the container load.
Antiques led him to the theatre by way of television. “I started talking about artifacts on Pete’s Place, a morning children’s program on BCTV. From there, I went to Jean Cannem’s Morning Show and then to the Vancouver Show at CKVU.”
Jarvis’s abundance of positive energy and his way with words were like catnip to Ann Booth, doyenne of the Deep Cove Stage Society.
“Ann had seen me on television and of course, we knew one another from the community. She stopped me on the street one day and invited me to join the company.”
Interest draws people to community theatre.
They stay because the world of theatre is endlessly interesting and because of the bond that forms among the volunteers working together to put on a show.
“The great thing about community theatre,” Jarvis says, “is that you can try your hand at anything, you learn as you go, and there’s always another play coming along.”
Over the years, Jarvis, like many of his community theatre colleagues, has done it all. Performer, director, producer, scenic artist, society president and fundraiser.
“Everything but lighting and sound,” he says.
The immortal words from As You Like It continue:
“And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.”
Mike Jarvis, himself a man of many parts, gets the last word:
“In community theatre, we can express our creativity, whether it’s onstage or behind the scenes. Here on the North Shore there’s a friendly rivalry from company to company. It spurs us to do our best. There is always a feeling of camaraderie and cooperation, because we’re all volunteers and, ultimately, the play’s the thing, isn’t it? I encourage anyone who has an interest in some aspect of theatre to give it a try.
I did, and I’ve had a wonderful time.”
Laura Anderson works with and for seniors on the North Shore. Contact her at 778-279-2275 or e-mail her at lander1@shaw.ca.
