HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-09-25, Page 27THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2008. PAGE 27.Entertainment Leisure&
As sumptuous as a Roman
holiday, as exotic as a sphinx,
Stratford Shakespeare Festival’s
Caesar and Cleopatra is art-
fully entertaining.
Playwright George Bernard Shaw,
with wit and poetry tells the story of
the Roman general’s mentoring of
the young Eyptian queen.
While the entire production is
beautiful to behold and pleasurable
to see, it is, of course, Christopher
Plummer as Caesar who takes this
production from well done to
beyond.
Plummer commands any stage
he’s on. In this case, with ease and
grace he delivers humour with
impeccable timing and a beguiling
gleam in his eye. The audience
senses wistfulness, melancholy and
delight in his relationship
Cleopatra. Even at 79 Plummer is a
charming hero.
The Caesar that Shaw writes of is
a man with indiscriminate kindness,
with immense social talents and
moral gifts.
The general’s first meeting with
Cleopatra is at the foot of the
sphinx where she has been
sleeping. The Queen is as voluble
as many a 16-year-old with
her stories of child-eating
Roman marauders, and the
middle-aged Caesar is at once
enchanted with her spirit and her
beauty.
He mentors her to help her keep
her throne which her 10-year-old
brother Ptolemy is claiming.
Their relationship becomes one of
devotion and independence.
Nikki M. James is a disarming
Cleopatra, an agreeable innocent,
but one with ever-sharpening edges.
She and Plummer have chemistry,
that makes their interaction both fun
and sweet to watch.
The reliable Peter Donaldson as
Rufio must also be noted for yet one
more excellent portrayal.
Shaw’s play is comic, and
director Des McAnuff made sure
each humorous moment got its due.
From Plummer’s wry grin to Paul’
Dunn’s over-the-top portrayal of the
child, Ptolemy, there are lots of big
laughs in this production.
Amidst the laughter, however, is
the more serious, the messages of
passion and power, the effects.
As Caesar speaks of war to
Cleopatra it was evident the
audience was touched by a sad
irony.
His words, “And so, to the end of
history, murder shall breed murder,
always in the name of right and
honour and peace, until the gods are
tired of blood and create a race that
can understand,” were poignant
reminders of today’s eastern
conflicts.
The entertainment value of this
production was further enhanced by
Robert Tazewell’s beautiful
costume designs and by the
utilitarian, though stylish sets of
Robert Brill.
If Caesar and Cleopatra had
nothing but Plummer to recommend
it, it would be enough. But it has so
much more than that it’s a shame to
miss it.
Caesar and Cleopatra is at the
Stratford Shakespeare Festival until
Nov. 8.
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
Theatre reviewPlummer rules as Caesar at Stratford
If you’re not quite done with
summer yet, perhaps dreaming of a
Wright Christmas might be just the
idea you’re looking for.
Canadian country music superstar
Michelle Wright has announced her
Christmas tour, I’m Dreaming Of A
Wright Christmas 2008 that will be
coming through 15 Ontario
communities, including Blyth
throughout December.
The tour will begin on Dec. 3 in
Sarnia and wraps up on Dec. 19 in
Sudbury stopping in Blyth on Dec.
13.
The tour will bring 15 shows to 15
different communities in just 17
days. Organizers are planning on
adding one or two more shows to the
tour in the coming days.
Wright will blend traditional
Christmas carols with some of her
favourite Christmas music, some
personal holiday memories and
some current material. The majority
of the material, however, will be
drawn from Wright’s recent
Christmas album, A Wright
Christmas.
Wright hasn’t brought her
Christmas tour to Ontario since the
winter of 2005.
“The Christmas seasons and
touring are a few of my favourite
things. This is our sixth year of
doing a Christmas-themed show. We
always have so much fun with it, I’m
happy we’re hitting the road again
this Christmas season,” Wright said.
“It’s becoming my very own
Christmas tradition. I’m also pleased
to be bringing the tour to Ontario this
year. We haven’t presented the
Christmas show in Ontario since
2005 and it’s developed considerably
since then. This is about as close to
I’ll Be Home For Christmas as it gets
these days.”
Wright has accepted over 30
awards over her time, starting in
1989 when she accepted her first
award from RPM Magazine as top
female vocalist. Since then, she has
won awards in large markets like Los
Angeles and Toronto and she has
been honoured by the Academy of
Country Music, the Junos,
MuchMusic and the Canadian
Country Music Association.
Throughout her career, Wright has
had 25 top 10 hits, including seven
number ones, as well as five gold
and two multi-platinum records,
selling over 800,000 albums in
Canada alone over the years.
She has toured all over North
America, Europe, Africa, South
America and Australia in support of
her music.
More information on Wright is
available on her website,
www.michellewright.com
The Blyth show on Dec. 13 will
begin at 8 p.m. and tickets are
available from the festival box office
at 519-523-9300 for $40.50 each.
Forthcoming
Wedding
Greg and Trudy
Ryan
Invite family and friends
to celebrate
their wedding
September 27, 2008,
9 pm - 1 am,
B.M.G. Community
Centre,
Brussels
8800tthh BBiirrtthhddaayy
CCeelleebbrraattiioonn
for
Bill Young
Saturday, October 4
2~4 pm
Londesboro
Community Hall,
Londesboro
Best Wishes Only
We are writing to advise,
That this information is a
Surprise!
William (Bill) Clark
is turning 70!
So we think a celebration
applies!
70th Birthday
Come-and-Go Party
for William Clark
Sunday, September 28
from 2-4
at the Ethel Hall
Shhh...It’s a Surprise!
Excellent telling
Christopher Plummer appears as Caesar, left, and Peter Donaldson, right is Rufio in Stratford
Shakespeare Festival’s production of Caesar and Cleopatra. (David Hou photo)
Time to think about a Wright Christmas
Classified advertisements
published in
The Citizen
are now available on our
website at
www.northhuron.on.ca