'The Self-Isolated Artist' Series: Greater Toronto area profile of Will McGuirk
Interview compiled by Joe Szekeres, Chief Toronto Critic
I met Will McGuirk several years ago online when he had posted on a few Facebook sites that he was looking for work and wanted to contact individuals who could give him some feedback on his resume. I had read many of Will’s articles in the local Metroland newspaper and wanted to let him know that I could be of assistance to him. I remember he sent me his resume, we chatted online for a few minutes, met up for coffee to chat about his resume and then he was off to search for work.
Several months pass by where I next met Will at the opening night of a local theatre performance in downtown Oshawa. Will was there to watch the show and write a commentary for the local paper. I remember saying to him that I was craving an opportunity to grow again in learning more about the performing arts locally, and that I was interested in learning the skills to become a theatre reviewer.
As good fortune would have it, Will began his journey in telling me that he wanted to begin the compilation of a local online publication ‘Slowcity’. Slowcity, the maker culture of Durham Region, had its’ elements in the Slow Movement, characterized by a way of life that supports people to live slow. Traditions and traditional ways of culture and the way of doing things are valued (and sometimes turned upside down on their heads). Slow cities stand up against the fast lane so often seen in fast paced cities throughout the world. One of the elements that Will wanted to explore online was the local theatre scene in Durham Region, just outside of Toronto, Ontario.
From this point on, a good friendship began with a gentleman who has a quick wit, holds no punches, and suffers no fools gladly. Because I had helped him several months prior in previewing his resume and sharing some ideas with him, Will reciprocated by mentoring me through the process of learning how to write reviews that matter to a reading public. Yes, there have been many personal learning curves on my journey, but Will was always there to answer any questions and listen to what was going on while I was writing. I am very fortunate that I had him, along with Toronto critic, Lynn Slotkin, to be those “guides along the side”.
Recently, I interviewed him via telephone:
1. How have you and your family been doing during this crisis?
Quite well. Covid-19 hasn’t hit my family community hard at all. We’ve been able to self-isolate without too much disruption to our lives.
2. Have there been any challenges or difficulties you’ve experienced or are experiencing during this time? What are you doing to keep yourself busy?
There have been no challenges that I’ve experienced at all. My family and I can get what we need through our own channels. We’ve been looking to ourselves and community for survival rather than rely on the big entities. Some of the difficulties I’ve witnessed are wondering how people can line up for over two hours to get into some of these big entities. Why bother standing in line if you aren’t prepared seems to be a waste of time to me.
3. I’ve learned a great deal from you about the word ‘performance’. You have a key interest in the music scene in Durham and Toronto. I have a keen interest in the North American theatre scene. And yet, this word ‘performance’ is key in both genres.
a) In your opinion and estimation, will or has Covid-19 affected the term ‘performance’ in the Canadian performing arts scene?
Well, Joe, this is a loaded question. Even before looking at the term ‘performance’ which is common in music and theatre, we must look at two important words that link these two genres. The first is “gathering”. As we’ve heard on the news day after day, there won’t be any gatherings for a long time. Now that people have remained at home, except for doing any weekly grocery shopping or pharmacy visit, there appears to be a comfort about staying at home. Yes, I get it that some people might get a little squirrely about being inside all the time, but there is always that idea that once you’ve been outside to walk, to jog, to ride a bike, to do activities with the kids, there is a certain comfort in knowing that you’re back in the climate of your home safe.
Once the pandemic begins to lift slowly, and people can go about their business in gatherings that gradually could get larger than five, there may be a reluctance and hesitancy on whether to do so. We are conditioned now to think that the other person carries the virus and we are to be mindful of that ‘physical/social’ distancing that has been ingrained in our brains.
I think it’s going to be difficult to get people out of their houses because we have been working from our homes for so long that we won’t want to leave them. We have music we can play from there, ‘Netflix and Chill’, On-Demand films and sports. Why bother leaving when we have all this at our fingertips?
Now, here’s where the term ‘performance’ comes into play. For the music scene, it’s easy. I can sit in the comfort of my own home, turn on a concert by Neil Young and I’m happy. Neil Young’s music can fulfil a promise for me when I stay at home and, with a tried and true method, turn up the sound. The purpose has been fulfilled in that a memorable experience has been created for me at home.
It’s going to be quite different for local community theatre and for the larger theatres in the big cities. The smaller community theatres will have to come up with a new way of fulfilling a memorable experience for audiences to make them want to come out of the comfort of their homes. On top of that, community theatres will now have to find ways to make the experience memorable and worthwhile for people to leave the comfort of their home. In the local theatres, there is also the concern of sitting so close to people since we have ‘physical distanced’ for so long in being told to stay apart.
The appeal of the mega theatres in the larger cities lies in the fact there are many in attendance which adds to the excitement and the attraction of being there. Said mega theatres will now have to decide and pay attention to the reasons why they want the audience there. It’s true the local/community theatres will have to pay attention to this as well, but the mega ones will now have larger gatherings plus deal with the fact that audiences may not want to sit so close to complete strangers.
Yes, once this pandemic slowly lifts, performing artists in music and theatre will have to work at building back up their audience. There is no time for a sense of entitlement (which is strongly evident in the performing arts scene) in thinking that audiences will come flocking back because they may not. People have lost their jobs on account of COVID – 19. Money is going to be tight for many consumers after this difficult time and they may not attend as they once did.
b) Do you see major changes about to happen in the Canadian music and theatre scene on account of COVID-19?
Yes, there will be changes in their “infrastructure” which is the second word linked to this connection of performance in the music and theatre scene. There will have to be a shift in the Canadian performing arts/cultural scene because two questions will have to be asked: a) Why are we doing theatre and music? and b) What are we doing music and theatre for?
At this time of isolation, music has become medicinal. We are turning to music to fill the current void since there are no larger gatherings. That’s why we can turn on Neil Young or any band we want to hear and that void is filled for the time being.
Theatre is a different entity as there is an excitement about sitting in the same room to watch the same play while experiencing the same excitement and breathing the same air. Yes, musicians will have to work at getting people to attend their concerts, but theatre will have an even further tougher challenge on their hands to bring their audiences back.
Why? The local/community and mega theatres will have to prove their value to the community.
During this crisis, we’ve seen the money that has gone out from federal and provincial levels to assist those who have lost their jobs, have children to raise, are sick and a sundry of reasons. Once this crisis has passed us, and it will, the federal and provincial levels may be reluctant for provincial arts funding or it may dry up completely as there are bills to pay.
4. In your opinion, will this supposed new normal we are about to experience have a direct influence on this term ‘performance’ in the music and theatre scene?
There won’t be a new normal for a very long time until there is a vaccine for coronavirus in place. According to the news, that can be anywhere between the next 12-18 months. Mr. Trudeau has stated that this physical distancing may not be lifted until the summer months, but he is not specifically saying when that will occur.
5. I’ve been reading and hearing online about several theatre artists turning to streaming or online performances in order to showcase and share their work. In your opinion, will this be part of the new normal of the performing art scene?
Gotta be careful here about turning to streaming or online performances. Yes, there is the technology to showcase and share their work and that’s fine.
However, the immediacy of the thrill and excitement of being at the music concert or attending the live theatre with the crowd is missing. It’s gone. You might as well say that you’re watching television when you sit and watch a performance that is streamed.
At this time of isolation, music and theatre artists are choosing to feed the consumer. At some point, when will these artists get paid for their services right now? Or will they never be paid?
These are tough and hard questions that the music and theatre scene will have to face as this pandemic is slowly lifted. Our federal and provincial governments (even municipal) should be looking to see what the consumer at this moment is valuing outside the essentials that we require to survive. How can these resources be available to communities given the fact that streaming or on line presentations remove that personal connection when we see or hear something live?
As a nod to ‘Inside the Actors’ Studio’ and the late James Lipton, here are 10 questions he asked his guests at the conclusion:
1. What is your favourite word? Fuck
2. What is your least favourite word? When people use words to offend.
3. What turns you on? People’s creativity
4. What turns you off? Mindlessness
5. What sound or noise do you love? The country music sound of the slide of a pedal.
6. What sound or noise bothers you? Yippee yappee dogs
7. What is your favourite curse word? C_ _ t (Note: I think we all know what this word is without it having to be written).
8. What profession other than your own would you have liked to attempt? An animator of a community
9. What profession would you have avoided at all costs? Anything that dehumanizes
10. If Heaven exists, what would you hope God would say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? “Here’s a 9 ft cigarette and a Vodka and Ginger Ale.”
Visit www.slowcity.ca to see Will’s online publication, the maker culture of Durham Region.
Profile photo of Will McGuirk by Al Frank.