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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1980-07-16, Page 4en ion Seana McKenna who plays Faith, the city girl who bringi germs :to. Tilt Cove and the worldly-- Fired Budge'', played by Mlehel:LeF4bvre, are only two of the mesnOrahle,ebiutetera to John and "the Mims. The Gordon Pinient "play opened to full: houses at the Blyth Summer 'Festival • on the weekend, and is: one of the hit plays to see dating Joly, [Photo courtesy' Blyth Sumner Festliadi BY SHELLEY IVIcPHEE The pride of men, their aipirations, accomplish , ments and failures all come to life in the Blyth Summer ,Festival's • first production, sus and her young daughter- hi-law Faith, played by Se- am McKenna, share special moments of conversation and although it wasn't practical for the Missus to own a pink cashmere sweater, she gratefully accepts the gift from her sophisticated, city daughter-fit-law, saving. the sweater to wear on a special occasion. John refuses to let his health problems and the - dying mining community bother him. He turns his worries away with a good joke. a snort of whiskey, a Although the Missus says her life is "full of fear and failure" and she is "sharing her life With death," the play goes beyond a tragic tale of defeat. determined character, John the Blyth operation would moustached, suit wearing Munn. Fred lives through his Janet Amos, in her first l employ as an actor, Doner Anne Anglin plays Munn's dreams and imaginations year as artistic director at the said that an actor's theatrical wife, referred to only as t h e Festival, has proven that she ability is important, especial and tours the world on ' `stay Missus. The young Anglin aways" from the island is not only one of Canada's ly in the sphere of "new easily transforms herself into wharf and. Mrs. 'Crummy's leading theatre and quail - . script" 'or original produc- the role of a tired, sad curtainless boarding house. sign actresses, but is equally woman who drastically faces John's newly married son, comfortable behind the scen- es. the future of the dying matt. played by Thomas mining town and her has - Hauff, comes across with fly- , i ,, An d with such fine mater- ,..... ......t inimin return band's limitations. Mg colours. The young man ia., to work from, the myth QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR DEPENDABILITY WILKINSON AND KOMPASS • HAS THE PRICE ADVANTAGE ' Pinsent's characters have about his future and that of production by the National many dimensions. The Mis- his parents. He plays the son Arts Centre and Pinsent is GENERAL HARDWARE—INDUSTRIAL 1 SU PPLI ES eXpect a professional show." Brenda Doner is not ex- aggerating, The Festival's actors hail frem all over Canada.. David Fox, a well actor who was, in the CRC play 'The Masseys" .and who also wonted with the John and the Missus. point with the introduction of and attributes and even the The Gordon Pinsent play Old Fudge, ' land, although lacking in Theatre Passe Mureille,, and opened to full houses at the Back at the Festival for his prosperity, has a good neigh- Anne Anglin, also of Theatre Festival's premier weekend second year, Hardee Line- hourly, community sense. - Passe Mureilla fame as well on July 4 and S and audienc- ham, dons shaggy grey hair, A lot happens on the stage as playing in Balconville ragged clothes and three - in John and the Missus, a lot at Toronto's St,. Lawrence es were easily caught up in inches of .dust to become the can be learned and a lot can Centre, are .among the high the, touching, yet toe tapping island soothsayer, a wise old be laughed at. All this is calibre actors to be seen on productinn. man who-everyone just , pas- - - done with—the—simplest of- t11-1*-th,stagethis summer, Although the play is setin The company is working ses off as a crazy old man. costumes and props, all put a small mining community in under a new artistic director Fudge makes some very int- together by set and costume Newfoundland, audiences this year since James Roy, portant statements about a designer Pat Flood. A quick. can easily relate to the story thefotinder of Blyth Sittnnier man's homeland and his turn of a table can transform of a man who is forced to roots but his appearance as - the stage from a house Festival andartisitic director change his long accustomed shaft, to for the previous five years, the ancient relic from the interior to a mininglifestyle.accepted a post with the island could put Tim Con- an oceanside wharf, David Fox, known to man Belfry Theatre in Victoria, Y way's old man impersonation The outfits worn are the as the father in the last ' British Columbia. In 1 his year's performance The to rest. dark green and navy blue of stead is Janet -Amos; who has The real comic in John and ordinary folk and the and- Death of the Donnellys, the Missus comes from the worked with the group for returns to the FeStival stage ieoce is not burdened with lengthy scene or costume many yearS. . Michel LeFebvre character 1 with another strong Stand Bl~t1~ opens season with winning play rollicking wrestling match and a quick jig with' his friends, Many other characters share the limelight with John and his Missus. The per- formance begins on' a high all parents, wish they could have, a caring, respecting man who tries to bring his mother and father through their bad times. • • Four characters were play- ed •by Alan Bridle and he managed to make each a sep- arate identity, not confusing the audience with a same- ness in any of them. Likewise William Dunlop comes ac- ross well with his two con- trasting mining men. Jimmy Ludlow and Sid Pedigrew. Jimmy, is everyone's buddy and can take a licking all in fun, Sid's thoughts are often is enthusiastic and in love with the beautiful and vib- rant Faith and their wedding night in bed is' one' of the most "lovable" scenes in the play. Yet Matt's 'realistic Fred Budgell. The black currently working on a film screenplay of the play , as well. The lyth production of John a d the Ivlissus can be seen n the air conditioned comfort of the ' community • hall on July 11, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21,.22, 24, 25, 31 and n August 2. Before the performances, theatre goers can take in the Friday and Saturday country suppers or enjoy •a light and inexpensive spinach salad and crab quiche at the food, booth in the basement of the community hall. Festival has begun their sixth and most prosperous season in fine form. John and the issus first came out as a no 1in, 1974. The play is slated for fall , submerged in whiskey and in hisself pitying mood feels, he gives out a-lot as a friend and • gets nothing in return. The, play is no stereo:: typed: creation. Pinsent has given each''character faults changes. dons, The actors . rtmst BY IASON AMS1,41B ways be aware of community The Blyth SUmnier relatiOns as well, not only al opened On Friday, July 4 because they have to live fora,seasen- or theatre, but among the Blyth residents,'. past patrons will find that the but also beeattSe•this troupe: theatre ,has grown in many , specializes ';in:"Regiotial, waYs. • Theatre A", which means that ltutFthe--Blytlr--Suonugr:----theh—tnateriaf —eentres—on—a Festival first opened in 1975, Setithwestern Ontario,. and a local • residents saw four sensitivity to the region is weeks of fine theatre • invariably reflected in their Throughout those four work. weeks, there were only eight The Blyth Summer Thea- peeple to work on, setS,, tre is fast beeeming a phone handle the box office duties, in Ontario's lief; Recently, oedetiake the technical re- Chatelaine magazine did quirements of the perform- some research on Canada's best theatre troupes) and in. Ontario the three recognized cempapies were—Stratford, the.. Shaw Festival .and the Blyth Simmer pregram. In 1975, the year • of the Blyth Festival's opening,,, 3,009 • people attended the plays. Last year alone, 21,000 people, from all over Canada, saw what kilyth had to offer and representatives Blyth Summer • Festival, by of the Toronto Star and the having a 'crew that large, ' Globe and Mail reviewed the people hired to administrate performances too. may do so ex-elusively and, Since last year, however, similarly, those hired to act, great many changes have will concentrate on that taken place: This' year's aspect of the theatre-alone: patrons mayeeloy a produc- ''It leads to more and more tion in air conditioned coal- specialization," she- said, fort and will notice a intich . "and the' audience may smoother slavery , of each ` play due to the multiple reno- vations to the hall. . "Over-the winter, a working wing was .added to the exist- ing building which includes administration offices, back- stage storage space, tires- sing rooms, hatches and loading ramps and a "green room", where the actors, can relax before or after a show: facilities for handicapped persons have also been add- ed including washrooms and an entry ramp designed for wheelchairs. A community crafts rooms, which will be an art gallery, is a new additien• and the kitchen has been inaproved.— " -- The renovations . also enabled the company .to resume use of the balcony, which was discontinued as a seating, area because of fire regulations. A fire escape, located in the new wing has restored the balcony to a working status. Considering that this hall was once an opera house slated for demo- lition, the Blyth theatre has indeed come a long way. But if has not all been a smooth road. The project, ances and do the' 'acting as well. Thingshave come a ,long way since then. Starting this Friday, -theatre. goers have eight weeks of entertainment to which they' may lonk forward. And this year, the company is 38 members strong., According. to Brenda Don- er, the publicity director f6r SERVICING — BRUCE — GREY — HURON COUNTIES ilas0010 Iololosos Ool000l. • oissails.w r wiligraw Asked what type of player (519) 3967571 DISTRIBUTION WAREHOUSE 226 QUEEN STREET - KINCARDINE, ONTARIO NOG 2G0 CALL TOLL FREE *1-800-265-3053 STEEL SERVICE CENTRE immusam ommos imam imummia whieh will cost $31.6;000 upon Completion, has been funded by loans and grants front various arts councils, Wintario, privateand cOrper- ate donation's ;and by loCal fund-raising efforts. And thnedyhave ab_on$,..70 thous- . The liclets sales are not - project, a ed taoltiitohue he otSht 6yef 11tehlpe finance about 30 per cent,ef • the ceSt 'of producing the plays. Four, plays will be prei- • ented by the Blyth summer' Festival this summer. "John and play th9 Missus" written, 'y a Gordonana creates of "A Gift to. Last" and "The RoWdy, man''; It is the first presenta- • tion of the season; FolloWing that, Ted Johns'productien of "St. Sam of the !slake Pile" will be on stage. This is a work local interest as it spotlights the Bruce'INInclear • Plant in Kincardine. Be Back For You Before Midnight", a hit from last year'S. roster, is back and, even though some may have seen this comedy •thril, ler, some changes in the. script shOuld'prove to make it mores appealing than ever., • The final feat of the troupe '\. is a shoW based on the life:of Jack MacLaren, who was a member -of the World War I entertaining grou , -The Dumbals. As Jack is, a local. citizen and as his grand- mdaetimgblie terr,ofLetshli: BlythHogan c o)ism. patty, this musical • play, called - "The Life That Jack Built", will undoubtedly be an accurate illustration of the famous showman's life. Among the other services offered by • the , Blyth Centre for the Arts is an Art Gallery where the paintings, of JaCk MacLaren will be exhibited at one of the showings and the artwork of the Huron • --County Secondary School'S students wilt be presented at the other showing. As 'well, the Country Supper will be hosted by local women for' the second year on Friday `and Saturday nights. Retnember that the Blyth Community Centre is used almost exclusively by the Blyth Summer Festival to bring Southwestern Ontar- ions the finest in professional summer theatre. The shows . will run from July 4 until August 30.