Gordon Pinsent brings new play to rural N.L.

Actor Gordon Pinsent celebrated his 80th birthday by bringing a new play he wrote to the Newfoundland hamlet of Grand Bank, on the island's south coast.

Easy, Down, Easy stars Pinsent and revolves around a university professor haunted by his past. Directed by Mary Walsh, the play's premiere was well received by the crowd that came out for a gala celebration thrown for Pinsent's birthday.

"This is a good testing ground here for many reasons, for the material as well: what works, what doesn't work," Pinsent said.

After a career in movies and television and several turns on the stage at the Shakespeare festival in Stratford, Ont., the small-town audience was thrilled to have Pinsent, a Grand Falls native, back on the island.

"I think it was wonderful," Grand Bank resident Bessie Crant said.

"I think this is something that we need, and I certainly look forward to having more of a theatre like this because it certainly does something for us as a community."

"It brings theatre in Grand Bank to a new level. The professionalism of the script and the acting will certainly be appreciated," Don Macbeath said.

Bernie Stapleton, the theatre's artistic director, said Grand Bank could have a bright future as a destination for great acting.

"Stratford was a really small place once where somebody had a crazy idea that they were going to do Shakespeare there, and we know what happened there. And I always believed that about Grand Bank."

After the performance, Pinsent headed back to St. John's to film an episode of the CBC show Republic of Doyle.

"You don't retire in this business," Pinsent said.

"Retire from what, you know? It's a different kind of work entirely and you can always find enjoyment in it, and tomorrow's idea may be the best one you ever have and if you stop work you'll never find it."

Easy, Down, Easy will play in Grand Bank until the end of the summer and is expected to mount a run in St. John's after that.