§ SEÁN VIRGO

Seán Virgo was born in Malta, and grew up in South Africa, Malaya andthe U.K. He lived on Haida Gwaii in the 1970s and created Requiem, a multi-media show with Haida performers, which was later presented, with attitude, to the Department of Indian Affairs. He also helped create the play, Gilgamesh, based on the Sumerian-Iraqi epic, using Wilfred Pinker ‘s giant cedar masks, which was performed in Massett, Charlotte City and Port Clements. His long elegiac poem, Deathwatch on Skidegate Narrows, won a National Magazines award in 1979.

Mr. Virgo’s first publications were poetry, but he has essentially moved into fiction. His most recent books are a limited edition chapbook, Eggs in a Field, illustrated by Ryan Price, and a collection of stories, Begging Questions. He has also been involved in theatre (as writer,
actor & director) and mixed-media performances and installations, though of late his need for remote places has outweighed his love of collaborative pursuits.

Seán Virgo’s work has won various other awards, including the CBC ‘Competition for Short Story,’ the BBC 3 ‘Short Story Competition,’ and the National Magazine Award for Fiction. He has taught writing and literature at the Universities of Victoria, York, and Saskatchewan.

Seán Virgo gave two free public readings and two workshops on the islands:

Readings:

Masset, Friday, December 4 at 7 pm, Dixon Entrance

Queen Charlotte, Sunday, December 6 at 7 pm, Legion Hall

Workshops:

Friday, December 5 in Masset at Dixon Entrance, 1-5 pm

Sunday, December 6 in Queen Charlotte at Legion Hall 1-5 pm

“The Eye and The Ear Workshop”

Writers are always being told to find their own voice. This workshop takes "Voice" literally and explores how the techniques and traditions of oral storytelling can be useful in making our written work concise, dramatic and evocative.