HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-08-17, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 2017.
'The Downs' completes sold -out Phillips Studio run
Back at it
The Downs was the first show produced in the newly -
renovated Phillips Studio and it completed its sold -out, five -
show run on Sunday thanks to the riveting performance of
Sheryl Scott, who also wrote the show. (Photo courtesy of Debra
Chantler)
Incoming
Shawn Daw of the Brussels Tigers spun a gem on Aug. 9,
leading his team to a 10-3 victory over the Monkton
Muskrats in Huron County Fastball League play. (Denny Scott
photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Sunday afternoon marked the
culmination of a five-day sold -out
run of shows for The Downs, written
and performed by Sheryl Scott, at
the Blyth Festival's Phillips Studio.
In 2015, the London Free Press
heralded that The Downs was the
show at the city's Fringe Festival
audiences must see if they could
only make room for one. It was with
similar enthusiasm that the show
made its way to Blyth. Critic Joe
Belanger called the work an "artistic
achievement" and said that Scott's
performance was a "tour de force"
and among the best he had ever seen
at the London Fringe Festival.
In an interview with The Citizen
months ago, Artistic Director Gil
Garratt said that a Festival regular
made his way into Garratt's office
shortly after seeing the show at the
Fringe Festival and told him it
would be perfect for Blyth and
Garratt agreed.
The Downs tells the story of Millie
Johnson, the wife of a farmer living
in northern New Brunswick in the
1950s. It's set at Johnson's kitchen
table and the action rarely strays
from the kitchen, giving the play the
warm, cozy feeling of having a
cup of tea with Johnson, an old
friend.
Scott, portraying Johnson, walks
in at the beginning of the show
holding a basket full of laundry
ready to be folded. She goes into
detail about the work and how
laundry day is her most dreaded of
days. This is, of course, in the days
before modern washing machines
when all work had to be done by
hand.
Johnson says that laundry on the
farm is a grueling task and certainly
not her favourite among her other
tasks, like milking the cows, baking
bread and tending to her five
daughters.
Scott is laugh -out -loud funny as
Johnson as she recounts hilarious
stories of living in the community in
a much simpler time. She tells the
audience about church and choir
members whose voices aren't quite
as angelic as they think they are and
mishaps with laundry equipment —
not to mention her trademark,
homemade bread, which is a source
of pride for the busy homemaker.
Johnson's funny demeanour,
however, takes a backseat as the
play takes a turn and she and her
husband have a sixth child. It's a boy
this time and the parents name him
Scotty.
Johnson and her husband face
challenges associated with Scotty
being born a bit "different" than his
siblings and other boys, but the
family embraces him and pledges to
love him all the same, despite
community members and family
turning their backs.
Scott traverses the story's
landscape in expert fashion,
laughing one minute and crying the
next, with the audience left only to
follow suit.
With the birth of Scotty, Johnson
says, there was plenty of learning to
be done on all sides and it just took
the family a little bit longer to
realize it.
Director Desiree Baker keeps
things simple on the stage, with
much of the focus on Johnson and
her folding of laundry while she tells
the audience story after story.
When the conversation shifts to an
elderly Italian neighbour or into the
barn with Johnson's husband, clear
lines are drawn and the audience is
transported with ease.
This Primordial Soup Theatre
Company production was the first
major show in the newly -renovated
Phillips Studio and all five of its
shows from Aug. 9-13 were sold
out.
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