HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-07-30, Page 23The third offering in Blyth
Festival’s 2009 season is the good,
the bad and the ugly of our national
sport.
While it’s generally the game that
brings hockey fans to an arena, there
is a social aspect as well. Friendships
and rivalries, after all, are bound to
develop when folks with a passion
for the sport and loyalties to a team
sit shoulder to shoulder.
In Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad,
Nova Scotian Michael Melski takes
it to the next level with the romance
that buds between two single
parents.
Eric Coates, the Festival’s artistic
director, makes a long-awaited
return to the stage as Teddy, a
hockey-mad dad with dreams of
NHL glory for his “chubby” son,
Ryan.
Having noticed a young woman
sitting alone at the games Teddy, an
everyday guy with rough edges and a
warm heart, makes his way to her
side of the arena.
Donna, played by Shauna Black, is
a timid woman, overly-protective of
her son Matthew. Though financially
strapped and reluctant to expose him
to any peril, she also recognizes the
value in having him participate.
Having pinched her pennies, she has
created a comfort zone away from
the typical hockey fervour, where
she apprehensively watches the
game.
The appearance of Teddy with his
ranting, rooting and less than subtle
courtship is initially less than
welcome. But his affability, though
occasionally a little coarse, soon
wins her over and romance blooms.
While the dialogue sometimes
borders on insipid, Melski writes the
way people talk. The conversations
between the couple are full of simple
everyday words and phrases.
Thoughts and reactions take the
kinds of unexpected turns that
happen all the time in chats with
people.
The closest to a flowery speech is
perhaps when Teddy describes his
high school prom where he danced
under the “pink, toilet-paper clouds”
with his now ex-wife.
“Then we got married and it rained
shit.”
There is some mild cursing
spattered throughout the play,
though much less offensive words
than heard at many hockey games.
For this reason, however, there may
be those not comfortable with
bringing young children.
Donna is a complicated woman,
frightened and wary one minute,
determined and protective the next.
Black handles the changes as
smoothly as an NHL line shift. From
defence to offence she’s got it
covered.
Teddy is the everyman, a role well
suited to Coates. Though he doesn’t
seem to be having the great time he
did on stage in 2004’s Test Drive
there is no question of his appeal and
how much he is liked by Blyth
audiences.
Some even make it crystal clear.
When his character realizes he may
have destroyed his relationship with
Donna, and leaves the stage
dejected, a woman from the
audience on this particular night
spoke out that she was “available”.
Directed by Miles Potter, Hockey
Mom, Hockey Dad is
straightforward comedy until the
sincerely compelling dramatic scene
in the second act. Like a skirmish in
hockey, it’s all fun until someone
gets hurt.
Shawn Kerwin’s set design
definitely places the actors rink side
in an aging arena, complete with
worn banners and bleachers.
There is one puzzling detail in the
production, the mention of the two
boys playing on a PeeWee team at
the age of eight, about four years too
young for that level. It’s a flaw that
should have been corrected.
In its totality Hockey Mom,
Hockey Dad isn’t the best thing
Blyth Festival has done, but it’s a
long way from the worst. It raises the
issue of violence in hockey and
society, but doesn’t ask you to think
too hard. It has endearing actors
playing believable people who you’d
like to see end up together.
The setting is familiar, the story
cute. And it makes you smile and
laugh.
It is, essentially, good enough.
Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad is at
the Festival until Sept. 5.
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2009. PAGE 23.Entertainment Leisure&
Go, Leafs, Go!
Shauna Black and Eric Coates as Donna and Teddy cheer on the Leafs, their kids’ PeeWee
hockey team in this scene from Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad, which opened at Blyth Festival
Friday night. The play, by Michael Melski has become one of the most produced plays in
Canada in recent years. (Terry Manzo photo)
Theatre review‘Hockey’ not perfect, but good enough
Sunday,
August 2
Auburn 519-526-7759
Stickers Family Restaurant
9:00 a.m.
to 1:00 p.m.
(Children 10 & under 1/2 price)
Breakfast Buffet
$795
Forthcoming Marriage
Stephanie Lentz
and
Robin Teeuwen,
of London,
are pleased to announce
their forthcoming marriage
on August 22, 2009
in Trinity Anglican Church, Blyth.
Stephanie is the daughter of
Lynda and Duncan McGregor, Blyth,
and Karl and Anne Lentz, London.
Robin is the son of
Michael and Mary Teeuwen,
Chatham.
Wedding
Announcement
Wayne and Karen Taylor
of Auburn, ON
are pleased to announce
the marriage of their son,
Levi Shane Taylor
to
Rebecca Elizabeth House,
daughter of
Harold and Louise House
of Saltford, ON
The wedding celebration was
held, with many family and
friends in attendance, at the
Calvary Baptist Church in
Goderich, ON June 6th, 2009.
After a honeymoon trip to PEI
the couple is making their
home at RR 4 Goderich.
Happy 70th
Birthday
Grampa
(Siebolt Siertsema)
July 29
Love from Joel, Meridan,
James and Annelise.
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen