HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-08-20, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015.
Burkett’s Daisy Theatre storms through Blyth
Blyth Festival audiences were in
for a treat last week if they were
among the lucky hundreds to have
snagged a ticket to see world-
renowned puppeteer Ronnie Burkett
and his Daisy Theatre in the Phillips
Studio.
In addition to his work designing
the set and costumes for Fury, the
Festival season’s third main-stage
production, Burkett spent last week
performing a quick, five-show run of
Edna Rural’s Church Supper, featur-
ing characters from The Daisy
Theatre, that was completely sold
out.
Burkett’s Daisy Theatre shows are
famous for their unpredictability, he
said in an interview with The
Citizen. There is also plenty of vari-
ety, as Burkett’s puppet cast has
grown to well over 40 characters
since it began at the 2012 Luminato
Festival in Toronto. With so many
options, Burkett had told The Citizen
that every Daisy Theatre show is dif-
ferent.
On opening night, for instance,
Burkett hand-picked several audi-
ence members to participate in the
show alongside him – one of whom
was David Armstrong, president of
the Blyth Festival Board of
Directors.
Armstrong’s choosing, Burkett
insists, was a complete coincidence.
It resulted in plenty of laughs from
the packed Phillips Studio house as
well as a “performance” by a shirt-
less Armstrong.
Audience participation is a staple
for Burkett’s Daisy Theatre shows,
which is what gives every show a
life of its own. Whether it be audi-
ence members on stage manning
puppets, serving as a stagehand for
one of Burkett’s characters or choos-
ing their next character when given a
choice by Burkett, the audience
plays a crucial role in a Daisy
Theatre production.
On opening night, Burkett fed off
the audience, diving head-first into a
show that very often had those in the
seats laughing uproariously or bring-
ing the house down with applause.
Whether it was a surprise strip
show, complete with vocal stylings,
a retired military man with a soft
spot for showtunes, a washed up
Hollywood diva or an old Vaudeville
performer, Burkett’s cast of charac-
ters is deep and rich in its complexi-
ty. Each has its own voice, its own
act and its own personality.
Burkett is as impressive of an
artist as has been in Blyth in years.
Over the years, Burkett has won the
Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
Distinguished Artist Award, the
Siminovitch Prize in Theatre, a
regional Emmy Award, two Dora
Mavor Moore Awards, four
Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards, a
Chalmers Award and a special cita-
tion from the Obie Awards. He has
performed all over the world, includ-
ing London, Sydney, Stockholm,
Manchester, New York City, Los
Angeles, Melbourne, Adelaide,
Dublin, Vienna, Germany and all
over Canada.
It is engrossing watching him
work “on the bridge” (above the
puppet stage, where the puppeteer
holds the strings), often working two
puppets at time, controlling not only
their movement, but their hands and
legs in a startlingly human fashion.
While the show opened in irrever-
ent fashion, establishing early that
nothing was off limits in the adult-
themed show, Burkett’s trademark
character, Edna Rural of Turnip
Corners, Alberta, made a late
appearance (after a haphazard trip
from western Canada) and settled
things down a little. While at the
same time injecting her own brand
of small-town humour into the show,
Rural also brought a sense of emo-
tion to the show, speaking of her late
husband and her life’s second act as
a member of the Daisy Theatre com-
pany.
She doles out true life advice as
well, telling audience members that
her mantra of “keep your fork,
there’s pie” doesn’t just apply to din-
ners at the Rural home, but in life.
Just when you think it’s all over,
something sweet will surprise you –
take it from her, she says.
The show is also bookended with
Franz and Schnitzel, the latter of
whom is hard not to fall in love
with.
The audience first joined Schnitzel
on his journey to find his angel
wings, a quest that at first seemed to
not bear fruit. When he returns at the
end of the show, however, audience
members learn that isn’t the case,
before Schnitzel sends the audience
off with a lullaby.
Blyth was truly lucky to have
Burkett swing through, even if it was
only for five shows.
Burkett’s humour was offside, yet
smart and classical in its themes, and
very often self-deprecating. He
explored the political landscape on a
national level, while at the same time
keeping things extremely local,
commenting on everything from
Blyth’s main street music to the
“chin-wagging” at the Queens
Bakery to his own work in Fury.
Equal parts artist above and below
the bridge, Burkett was truly a gem
to behold at the Blyth Festival, deliv-
ering what he promised in this year’s
Citizen Festival special edition when
he said, “I can honestly say that
[members of the Blyth Festival audi-
ence] haven’t seen anything like it
before.”
For more information on Burkett
and future shows, visit
www.thedaisytheatre.com.
Humour and emotion
After first hitting the stage at the 2012 Luminato Festival in Toronto, Ronnie Burkett’s Daisy
Theatre crew has grown substantially in the last few years. The Blyth Festival, specifically the
Phillips Studio, was lucky to have Burkett in the community to perform a run of five shows last
week that was completely sold out, with many shows having a waiting list of people hoping to
get into the small performance space. (Photo submitted)
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The Elementary School Fair is
going to be held on Saturday, Sept.
19 this year. Exhibits can be placed
at the Belgrave Community Centre
on Thursday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m. to 8
p.m. and Sept. 18, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The community extends congratu-
lations to Matt and Margie Beck and
to big brother Axel Beck, on the
birth of their daughter and baby sis-
ter, Revel Mayzee on July 3.
By Linda
Campbell
Call
357-2188
PEOPLE AROUND
BELGRAVE
School Fair Sept. 19
NEWS
FROM BELGRAVE
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
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