“For anyone who is a student or lover of theatre, or anyone involved with the profession for that matter and in whatever capacity, the book is a treasure trove of history - full of detail and insight of not only a dedicated and talented thespian of the trade but also a fascinating historical perspective of a particular period in Canadian and British theatre. Thoroughly enjoyable. One gets a very clear sense of the enormous devotion and commitment it took in choosing such an elusive lifestyle.”
— Tom Braidwood, actor, producer, and director (The X-Files, Millennium, Da Vinci’s Inquest)
“Bill Davis’s memoir is a lively personal story and a document in the history of theatre. He tells a revealing tale of how determination and chance led him to be a stage director in England, a producer, director and teacher in Canada and, to his own astonishment, a film actor who achieved celebrity for his television performances in The X-Files. His account of his life is thoughtful, amusing, even mildly scandalous. He’s very sharp about how things work or fail to work. His narrative takes the fascinated reader into many back rooms, and opens locked doors. This is not how it should have been, but how it was.”
— David Helwig, poet, novelist, and essayist
“Bill Davis’s remarkable career in the performing arts makes for a vivid memoir and a valuable cultural history. While telling of his pioneering work in the Canadian theatre, his participation in the golden age of modern British theatre, and his almost accidental stardom in The X-Files, Davis also candidly skewers many of the stuffed shirts he met along the way. An entertaining and addictive read.”
— Jerry Wasserman, actor, critic, and head of the Department of Theatre and Film at the University of British Columbia
Read an excerpt of Where There's Smoke... here.