HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-07-11, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013. PAGE 19.
Festival’s ‘Yorkville’ puts great talent on display
The folks at the Blyth Festival
couldn’t have contrasted this
season’s first two shows more. If
Beyond The Farm Show is at far
stage right, that would put this
season’s second show Yorkville: The
Musical at far stage left.
That says nothing about the
quality of the two shows, which are
both highly enjoyable in their own
way. It refers, however, to style.
Where Beyond The Farm Show is
quiet, thoughtful and low-key,
Yorkville is loud, flamboyant and
flashy.
Yorkville was created by Carolyn
Hay and Tom Szczesniak, directed
by Donna Feore and its world
premiere was on Blyth’s Memorial
Hall stage on Friday night.
It tells the story of two small town
girls, Jules and Gabe, who leave
Druxberg (supposedly near
Listowel) for Toronto’s upscale
Yorkville neighbourhood as a stage
on which to make their big city
dreams come true.
Jules (Jess Abramovitch) and
Gabe (Stephanie Sy) receive a rude
awakening, however, when they
arrive at a cousin’s condo in
Yorkville only to find out that
maintenance fees, which are in
arrears, and rent amounts with their
decimal point shifted two spots
further to the right than either of the
girls counted on.
The show then begins as the girls
realize they need to find jobs, and
fast, if they want to stay in Yorkville
long enough to warrant the bus trip
from Druxberg (which Jules
‘enjoyed’ from the comfort of a
hockey bag in the baggage
compartment of a Greyhound bus
due to the pair’s limited funds).
Wasting no time, Chase (Ryan
Bondy) busts into the condo with a
hilarious musical guide to the rules
of the condo in one of the night’s
funniest, and best songs.
The girls then start pounding the
pavement looking for jobs but
realize their rural skill-sets don’t
really match up with the Toronto
merchants whose shops they visit.
The merchants are cardboard
stereotypes of the world of Yorkville
that get a laugh from the Huron
County audience. There is the pink
ascot-wearing owner of a dog spa,
the French baker whose mustache
comes to such a sharp point it could
no doubt pierce your skin and, of
course, the long-haired salon owner
who can’t show emotion due to what
is no doubt a combination of too
much botox and likely a facelift or
two.
Upon returning to the condo
dejected and jobless, a mix-up with
the mail brings Tasia (Sarah Cornell)
up to the condo where she eventually
takes the girls under her wing with
some business advice from her
Mother Russia.
Tasia’s hilarious “You Must To
Have A Plan” shows the girls the
way to success, but they’re still
unsure how they fit into the plan.
Still depressed, Jules and Gabe cheer
themselves up with a step-
dancing/song routine from their days
at the Seaforth Barn Dance.
Their duet of “Don’t Just Love Me
’Cause I’m Cute” sparks a business
plan in Tasia’s mind and she soon
starts Jules and Gabe on a path that,
after a Yorkville makeover, has them
performing at parties and waiting
tables, hopefully on their way to the
big time.
Cute they certainly are. The two
girls attract the attention of a few
Yorkville men, one of which is
stylist Preston (Michael Torontow),
who begin to pursue the pair having
to hurdle various obstacles (some
imagined) along the way.
The paths of the five characters
then snake their way around all of
Ontario, sometimes getting lost
along the way, as all five main
characters search desperately for
their own version of a happy ending
to their story.
The production benefits greatly
from Feore’s hand in the director’s
chair, as Yorkville provides theatre-
goers with one of the most slick
productions you’ll see at the Blyth
Festival. Feore’s steady gig is at the
Stratford Festival (she directed this
season’s Fiddler On The Roof) and
you can see why, she brought
Stratford production value down
Hwy. 8 to Blyth, which is a treat for
local audiences.
The on-stage band is great,
although, I’m told, a little loud in
certain corners of Memorial Hall,
which is to be expected from an
amplified piano, bass and drum live
band on stage.
Those involved with Yorkville
certainly do not lack talent, as the
entire cast proves that they can sing
and dance with the best of them.
There are musical numbers that ring
through your ears long after they’ve
concluded and dance numbers so
energetic they strive to test the
integrity of the Memorial Hall stage
at times.
While excellent supporting
performances are given by the
hilarious Cornell and Bondy and the
heartfelt Torontow, it is Abramovitch
and Sy who carry the show.
In addition to their
aforementioned easiness on the eyes,
the two petite actresses can belt out
songs with any musical cast in
Ontario and what they can do with
their feet made the out-of-
shape among us leave the show
feeling sore on their behalf. Their
sisterly relationship is never in
question, as it seems like they’ve
been performing side by side for
years; a true find for the Festival.
Both actresses will also take the
stage in Prairie Nurse, which opens
Aug. 9.
The show is wall-to-wall music
with an energetic second act that
ensures any fan of musicals will
leave Memorial Hall with some
extra spring in their step.
Yorkville: The Musical runs in
repertory until Aug. 11.
Entertainment Londesborough ON.............................................www.seedforwildbirds.comnaturesnest@tcc.on.ca StopsStopsStopsStopsStopsalong the wayalongthewayA VISITORS’ GUIDE TO HURON COUNTYstopsalonglakehuron.comLook for entertainment ideas on our Stops Along the Waywebsite at...
45th Anniversary
July 13, 1968 - July 13, 2013
The family of
Greg and Brenda
Nicholls
invite you to celebrate their
45th Anniversary
at the Brussels Legion
Saturday, July 13
Social time: 7 pm - 9 pm
Dancing: 9 pm -1 am
Lunch 10:30 pm
Casual dress
Best wishes only
Happy 50th
Anniversary
Bert & Lillian Evans
Open House
to be held on July 14
from 2-5 pm
at the Londesboro Hall
in Londesboro.
Best wishes only
Love from your family
GRADUATION
Brandon Kellington, son of
Brian Kellington and Jan,
graduated from Brock
University in St. Catharines
with a diploma as an
accountant. Brandon has
accepted a position with the
Chartered Accounting Firm of
Morby, Monteith Professional
Corp. from Bolton, ON.
Congratulations
Brandon and Good Luck
Love, the Kellingtons
273 Hamilton St., Blyth • 519-523-4590
www.blytheastsidedance.com
Blyth East Side Dance
Learn the Waltz
There’s nothing stressful
about turning 50
~ except people
reminding you about it.
Love Ron, Johnathon,
Michael and Caroline
Lookin’ good ladies
Gabe, left, played by Stephanie Sy, and Jules, right, played by Jess Abramovitch, came to
Yorkville with just a few bags, one of them a hockey bag containing Jules, and the clothes on
their back, so in Yorkville: The Musical, one of the first orders of business was a makeover,
which Preston, played by Michael Torontow, is more than happy to administer. (Terry Manzo photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen