HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2010-07-22, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010. PAGE 19. Entertainment Leisure&
In this day of million-dollar
computer-generated digital effects in
movies and video games, how can
live theatre hope to impress kids. It
can when it’s Stratford Shakespeare
Festival’s production of Peter Pan.
You want 3-D? How about a
hulking pirate ship that appears as if
it’s going to keep sailing right off the
Avon Theatre’s stage and into the
audience.
Movie magic can fool an audience
into thinking they’re right there, but
it can’t match the feeling of
watching real “children” suddenly
fly through the air.
Stratford’s Peter Pan is a truly
magical experience for children and
adults alike. On the night of our
visit, the audience actually groaned
when the lights came up for
intermission because people didn’t
want to leave even for a few minutes.
The dimming of the lights to begin
the second act was met with
applause.
One theatre patron was heard to
exclaim: “You don’t recover from
one surprise when there’s another.”
Some of these surprises come
from Stratford’s technical
department, such as the pirate ship.
Others are more creative such as the
scene of Peter, Wendy and others
bobbing up in the “water” of waving
sheets of blue fabric.
While Stratford is known for its
technical prowess, it’s the acting
company that gets the most notice,
and it’s no different in Peter Pan.
The role of Peter is often played by
a young woman but here it’s taken
by Michael Therriault, a versatile
Stratford actor who has tackled
everything from musicals to
Shakespeare in his eight years at
Stratford, including the leading role
of Yock in the Blyth-originated
Quiet in the Land.
He makes a remarkable Peter, the
eternal boy. When he first comes
into the nursery of Darling children
to lure them off to Neverland, he is
every inch the hyperactive boy,
restlessly jumping from one activity
to the next even while carrying on a
conversation. Therriault’s incredible
athleticism even lets him hang
upside-down from a door frame
while trying to impress Wendy.
Sara Topham has a less
spectacular role as Wendy but she
manages to portray the uneasy
balance between wanting to have the
freedom of being a child and
showing her grown-up, responsible
side, becoming mother to the “Lost
Boys” of Neverland.
Stratford veteran Tom McCamus
makes a wonderfully evil Captain
Hook, Peter’s mortal enemy in
Neverland. McCamus’s deep voice,
in character as Hook, even threatens
audience members who might forget
to turn off their cell phones in a
creative preshow announcement.
Unlike the frozen-in-time
perfection of movies, things can go
wrong in live theatre but even that
turned out magically on the night we
were there. When comic actor Seán
Cullen, as Smee, lost a button from
his jacket he threw in an ad-lib quip
that had the audience in laughter.
But not all is magical about the
production. Director Tim Carroll,
former associate director of
Shakespeare’s Globe, in London,
England, chooses to insert the
character of playwright J.M. Barrie
himself into the play as a narrator.
This does create one bit of stage
slight-of-hand that might have
audience members scratching their
heads until the curtain call, but it
does nothing for the storytelling.
The theatrical axiom “show, don’t
tell” makes narrators problematic on
stage and in this case it produces
problems that might not otherwise
be there. Though putting Barrie on
stage gives an opportunity to use
some of his more literary writings, it
divides attention too often from the
fanciful world of pirate ships and
mythical islands peopled by fairies
and children who don’t grow up and
the realistic sight of a narrator in an
easy chair. It often makes the show
seem like an episode of “J.M.
Barrie’s greatest hits”.
A more happy choice for Carroll is
his solution to the problematic
anachronism of “The Indians” in
Barrie’s original play, which in the
past has caused protests for lack of
political incorrectness. Carroll turns
them into “Amazons”, mythical
women clad in costumes just sexy
enough to please the dads in the
audience.
Peter Pan, is an old reliable hit
that’s been packing them in ever
since its first production in 1904.
The added magic Stratford has lent
to this production will mean it keeps
seats full all summer long.
Stratford’s Peter Pan reignites theatrical awe
By Keith Roulston
The Citizen
Tickets at The Centennial Hall Box Office. Charge by Phone
519-672-1967 or online at www.centennialhall.london.ca
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2010 - 7PM
CENTENNIAL HALL - LONDON
What a Hook
Tom McCamus (left) makes a delightfully dastardly Captain Hook in Peter Pan, currently
onstage at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Actor-comedian Seán Cullen adds a comic touch
as Smee in the spectacular production featuring pirate ships and flying children. (David Hou photo)
Stratford Festival extends two shows
The Stratford Shakespeare
Festival is extending the runs of two
more shows,King of Thieves and
The Two Gentlemen of Verona, both
at the Studio Theatre. Each will have
three additional performances.
“We have had so much positive
press about our shows,” says Artistic
Director Des McAnuff, “and that
positive reaction is shared by our
audiences, who are voting, as they
say, at the box office. It is very
gratifying for all of us who pour our
hearts and souls into our work.”
The additional performances are
as follows:The Two Gentlemen of
Verona -Tuesday, Aug. 31, 8 p.m.,
Sunday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. and
Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 2 p.m.; King
of Thieves - Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2
p.m., Saturday, Sept. 4 at 2 p.m. and
Friday, Sept. 10 at 2 p.m.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona,
directed by Assistant Artistic
Director Dean Gabourie, is the first
Shakespeare to be programmed at
the Studio Theatre. It features Dion
Johnstone as Valentine, Claire
Lautier as Silvia, Gareth Potter as
Proteus and Sophia Walker as Julia,
with Bruce Dow as Speed and
Robert Persichini as Launce.
King of Thieves is the first
commission in Des McAnuff’s
tenure to come to the stage. Written
by George F. Walker with songs and
music by John Roby, the production
is directed by Jennifer Tarver. It
features Jay Brazeau as Peachum,
Evan Buliung as Mac and Seán
Cullen as Vinnie, with Nigel Bennett
as Brown, Laura Condlln as Polly,
Nora McLellan as Myrna and
Stephanie Roth as Jenny.
Tickets for the additional
performances go on sale July 13. To
purchase tickets to these or other
shows, contact the box office at
1-800-567-1600 or visit the
Festival online at www.stratford
shakespearefestival.com.
The third meeting of the 4-H
Sheep Club was held at Deb
Falconer’s on June 28.
After starting the meeting with a
fun game of soccer, the group
headed into the Falconers’shed. The
vice-president started off with the 4-
H pledge. After that the group did a
fun word search put together by the
secretary. They had to find all the
words that were related to the 4-H
Sheep Club.
Once everyone finished, members
discussed upcoming events, such as
the Seaforth Sheep Show on August
10. They also discussed what they
are planning to judge at the Sheep
Show. Leader Florence Pullen had
them judging a class of tomatoes. It
was quite difficult to place them
because of all their different traits.
They learned how to stand, speak
and look at the judge to persuade
them.
Next the group went to the barn to
take a look at how one of the
members was progressing with his
lamb. There they learned how to
position a lamb and how to walk so
the judge could take a good look.
The next meeting will be Monday,
July 19. The meeting will be at
Green’s Meat Market in Wingham to
watch a lamb being butchered.
It was a great night with almost all
4-H members there.
Sheep Club gets presentation tips