HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1990-11-21, Page 27Theatre Review
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1990. PAGE 27.
‘A Gift to Last’ endearing, heart warming, fun
BY BONNIE GROPP
I will admit to no small degree of
reluctancy at the prospect of at
tending Gordon Pinsent’s “A Gift
to Last”, presented by Blyth
Centre for the Arts in Memorial
Hall on Sunday evening.
The last few hours of Sunday
have become quite precious to me.
After two days of trying to catch up
on housework and social time I
delight in the prospect of curling up
in my snugglies for a few hours
before plunging back into the
work-a-day world.
Thus the idea of going out in the
cold, travelling 12 miles, to sit in a
crowded theatre for two hours was
not eagerly anticipated by me, but
the production turned out to be a
perfect ending to a weekend.
Originally commissioned by
Gryphon Theatre in Barrie and
directed by James B. Douglas, the
musical production could be de
scribed by any number of cliched
superlatives. It’s timeless, endear
ing, heart-warming, and fun.
Set at Christmas, the story tells
the tale of Sgt. Edgar Albert John
Sturgess and his nephew Clement,
son of his brother Harrison. Uncle
Edgar is an affable charmer, who
delights in making up stories. The
impressionable Clement idolizes
his uncle to the chagrin of the other
family members who are mildly
disapproving of Edgar’s cavalier
outlook.
The cast is superb. They are all
solid performers and the majority
showed marvelous musical abili
ties, most notably Susan Henley as
the Irish maid Sheila, who loses her
heart and her hand to Edgar and
Shane McPherson as the carefree,
high-spirited Uncle Edgar. Ms.
Henley’s lovely, pure soprano
soared in the wonderful acoustics
of Memorial Hall, and Mr. Mc
Pherson’s voice carried depth and
emotion. He did equal justice to a
ballad or to one of the lively
choreographed pieces.
Renee Stalenhoef opens
The Seaforth Harmony
Hi-Lites
Presents
THE
SANTA CLAUS
EXPRESS
A Musical Celebration of Christmas
SATURDAY DEC. 1
Matinee 2:00 PM ’6.00
Evening 8:00 PM ’7.00
SEAFORTH & DISTRICT
COMMUNITY CENTRES
Guest Appearances by:
Seaforth Harmony Kings,
* McQuaid Sisters & Moffett
j Brothers.
5 For Tickets call 527-0373;
, 527-0075; 348-9501; 887-9297;
4 482-7272; 524-9223; 235-2050 Owa awuiS
CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Jf CENTRAL HURON S.S., CLINTON
(ft) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28
*7 AT 8 P.M.
FEATURING: MUSIC BY BANDS & CHOIR
ART EXHIBITION
ADMISSION: FREEWILL OFFERING
EVERYONE WELCOME
voice training school
Former Dutch opera singer and
Auburn area resident Renee
Stalenhoef is once again utilizing
her talents.
After several years keeping her
career on low flame, while raising
two daughters, Pauline and Flor
ence, with her husband Walter,
Mrs. Stalenhoef has opened the
Huron Scola Cantorum-Huron
School for singing in Goderich’s
Robertson Memorial Public School.
Born in Amsterdam, Mrs.
Stalenhoef has a lifetime of musical
experience behind her and these
are the qualifications she brings to
her class. She developed an inter
est in classical music at a very early
age and studied at the Academy of
Music in Amsterdam under the
head music teacher Coby
Riemersma.
After leaving school she was
hired by the Dutch Opera Company
and it was during one of her
concerts that she met Walter
Stalenhoef, a dairy farmer. The
couple emigrated here in 1983
because they felt he would have a
more profitable farming career in
Canada.
She believes there is a great
need in this area for vocal
instruction and when she was
approached recently to give les
sons, thought maybe the time was
right. While the project is some
what different than her past musi
cal experiences, she feels she has a
lot to offer to those who want to
learn to sing at a higher repertoire
level. For many with talent, she
believes, the opportunity is often
lost as they are unable to travel to
the city to learn.
She prepares her students to
study voice at university or for
competitions or simply for their
own enjoyment. The class is held
on Wednesday and Friday after
noon and evenings and students
should be at least 14 years old.
An invitation has been extended
to the Huron Scola Cantorum to
join the Huron Strings School at
Christmas for a recital in Blyth.
This will be their first public
performance.
MID-WESTERN ONTARIO
SHOW & SALE
•Farm Toys •Dolls &
Miniatures •Crafts &
Quilts *4 Great Shows
SUNDAY, DEC. 2
10 AM to 4:30 PM
Seaforth & District Community Centres
Seaforth High School, Round House
and Fair Grounds
FREE SKATING & HAYRIDES
Fun For All, Terrific Christmas Gifts
EVERYONE WELCOME
Rick and Judy perform
kids’ concerts in Seaforth Nov. 28
On Wednesday, November 28,
1990 at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. the
Seaforth Ringettes will play host to
husband and wife team Rick Avery
and Judy Greenhill. They sing
traditional folk songs the way they
should be sung, with simplicity,
good humor, and lots of hand
clapping, toe-tapping and sing
along opportunities for those in
attendance.
Rick and Judy have been per
forming together professionally
throughout North America for the
last 10 years. They continue to
increase their visibility as concert
and recording artists; and are
becoming known to family audi
ences for TV spots they have done
on the Fred Penner Show.
Delightful to see Trotter on stage
Continued from page 26
showing impeccable timing and
deadpan expression that makes
the witty comic lines snap and
crackle. Playing a woman many
years older than herself, she makes
Ann one of those women who hide
in the bushes: giving the impres
sion of someone a little dotty and
ineffectual but now and then giving
glimpses of a mind that works like a
trap.
Peter Hutt as John portrays a
character in search of himself
through his writing, a sensitive
child who never felt he was really
wanted by his father and who
resented the closeness his father
had for his younger brother.
For a local theatre goer, the
delight of the evening was seeing
Kate Trotter on stage in the area
for the first time since she was a
regular fixture at the Blyth Festival
in the late 1970’s and early '80’s. In
recent years she has been seen on
television in movies like ‘‘Joshua,
Then and Now” and ‘‘Glory
Enough For All” but her warmth
flows across the footlights better
than thrnnoh the camera lens.
v* SEAFORTH RINGETTE ASSOC W
Xg PRESENTS ]A
VI "CHRISTMAS IS COMING"
RICK ANDJUDY AVERY $
W IN CONCERT Ji
UL Wed. November 28 (q
5:30 PM & 7:30 PM U
H SEAFORTH COMMUNITY
g CENTRE U
bl $5.00 ADVANCE
W $6.00 AT THE DOOR U
$ TICKETS AVAILABLE AT: &
H GODERICH ENTERTAINER
L NO KIDDING (Clinton) U
FOODLAND (Bayfield) jjtf
Blyth lw
523-9381
WEEKEND
SPECIALS
■/z rnivL.
THURSDAY NIGHT IS
WING NIGHT
30c each
5 p.m. - midnight
Sorry no take out
: ■
WINGS ALSO AVAILABLE
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
5:00P.M.-MIDNIGHT
EAT IN OR TAKE OUT
FRI.& SAT. SPECIAL
FISH & CHIPS
BUY 1 GET ONE
FOR1/2PRICE
EAT IN OR TAKE OUT
Served 5:00p.m.-12Midnight
$5.95
LADIES BRING LUNCH
Sponsored by Walton Recreation Committee
Proceeds to Walton Recreation Committee and Ball Park
BLYTH FESTIVAL SINGERS
presents
CHRISTMAS
IN THE VILLAGE
SPECIAL GUESTS: EXETER PUBLIC SCI IOOL JUNIOR CHOIR
Sunday, December 9, 1990
at 3:00pm and 8:00pm
AT BLYTH MEMORIAL HALL
Tickets:
Adults: 56.00
Student:,: sf;.5O