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The Citizen, 1987-12-02, Page 43THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1987. PAGE 43 Music enrichment program held Theatre Review Grand production starts slowly BY KEITH ROULSTON THe connections between Blyth Festival and London’s Grand Theatre have been growing over theyears. Thestagemanagerat the Grand Dawn Brennan, is also one of the stage managers at the Festival. The opening of Allan Stratton’s romantic comedy “Papers” takes Blyth’s founding artistic Director James Roy to the Grand for his first direction there and also saw a good deal of old Blyth hands in attendance. Papers ends up being a fine evening of entertainment but it takes a while to get there. Part of the problem is the huge Grand Theatre stage which can swallow up an intimate three-character play like this. Part of it is the characters that Stratton has creat­ ed, a repressed university profes­ sor (Elva Mai Hoover) and a writer with a writing block, (Lubomir Mykytiuk) who has come to be writer-in-residence at the small town university. Both are either saying nothing, or saying so much the other character can’t get a word in edgewise. As the two seek tenta­ tively to communicate their pro­ blems to each other the audience can drift off. Lubomir Mykytiuk [left], Elva Mai Hoover [standing] and Sherry Smith take part in a scene from Papers at the Grand Theatre in London. Brussels Public School was host on November 18-20 to a music enrichment workshop called “Strings, Keyboards and Songs.” Twenty-six junior division stu­ dents from Brussels, Blyth, East Wawanosh, Grey Central, Howick Central, Turnberry Central and Wingham Public Schools were chosen to take part in the three-day event, with volunteer parents driving them to and from Brussels each day. Chorale singing, ukulele play­ ing, making musical instruments, and creative movement made up some of the workshops, while demonstrations on the piano, cello, synthesizer and pipe organ were given by local resource people. The highlight of the experience was a trip to London to hear and see arecitalbyOrchestraLondon at Saunders Secondary School on November 19. This was a com­ pletely new experience for most of the children involved, according to Phil Parsons, music teacher at Brussels Public School. Workshop facilitators were Mr. Parsons, Jim Axtmann, Margery Huether, Gabrielle Boetcher, Pat Barnes, Mila Tipnicki, Morris Darling, Judy Morton and Joanne King. Lions sponsor Santa's visit The play gets rolling when the third character comes on stage in the person of an enthusiastic young student who impresses the writer in residence with her poetry and her vitality. The play is hitting on all cylinders by the second act when the professor confronts the would-be poet and her suspicions about a possible affair the young girl is having with the writer. From then on wit and emotion blend to a strong finish (although a surprise ending may be just a bit too surprising). Stratton has a way with lines. When the professor tells the writer that the small-town university is “not the end of the world” he replies, “no, but you can see it from here.” The cast is strong. Mykytiuk is one of Canada’s most overlooked actors (veterans of theatre in Huron may remember him in Blyth in a touring production of Paper Wheat) and he proves his talent again. Ms. Hoover is taking her second go-round in the role of the professor having played at Hamil­ ton’s Theatre Aquarius as well as acting for James Roy before in the Manitoba Theatre Centre produc­ tion of “Quiet in the Land”. Sherry Smith as the young student Bobbi Roy brings the stage to life, throwing himself energeti­ cally into every piece of furniture in sight and even onto the floor. She too has worked with James Roy before, this summer in the premier of the new Anne Chislett play ‘ ‘ Half a Chance ’ ’ at the Lighthouse Theatre in Port Dover. Even scene changes in this show are fun as the magic of modern theatre technology takes over. Three turntables on the stage twist the multi-sided scenery into vari­ ous configurations for the different settings of a lecture hall, the writer-in-residence’s apartment or the office of the professor. Paperswill play at The Grand Theatre until Dec. 19. The Blyth Lions Club has again this year arranged to have Santa pay a visit to Blyth. On Saturday, Dec. 5 the Lions will be showing a film at the Blyth Memorial Hall beginning at 2 p.m. Santa is scheduled to arrive at 2:45 p.m. The Lions Club’s Christmas Dances will be held Dec. 12 and Dec. 19atthe Blyth and District Community Centre. The Dec. 12 dance is sold out, however tickets are still available for groups or individuals on Dec. 19. Tickets and information are available from Lions Gerald Kerr and Ken Cucksey. The Lions Club’s New Year’s Eve Dance will be held on Thursday, Dec. 31 at the Blyth and District Community Centre. Tick­ ets are $50 per couple and include a meal, refreshments, party favours and transportation if requested. Tickets and information are avail­ able from Lions Gerald Kerr and Don Stewart. The Blyth Lions Club has made a $200 donation to Canine Vision Canada. This money goes to the Guide Dog School in Oakville which trains guide dogs for the visually impaired. A $25 donation was made to the Multiple District a Lions Effective Speaking pro­ gramme. The next meeting of the Blyth Lions Club is on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at the Blyth Memorial Hall. This meeting will be the Lions annual family Christmas party. THURS.,FRI.,SAT. 5P.M.-12A.M. Blyth Inn EAT IN OR TAKE OUT 523-9381 Harold Ferguson runs Atwood restaurant Aformer Blyth businessman, Harold Ferguson has taken over a popular Atwood eatery. Theformerownerofthe Blyth Inn Hotel recently leased D & G Restaurant on Atwood’s Main Street, taking over from George Coulter. He plans no changes for the present in the menu of the restaurant. Eli, the Singing Shepherd 90-minute Christmas Musical Play about Hope and Miracles You are Invited FREE ADMISSION I fciRK THEATRE ★★★★ , “A sophisticated,BOON i An Unexpected Comedy. ■ screwball comedy...” - Rex Reed. ATTHE MOVIES “Absolutely irresistible.” “The brightest, gassiest and wittiest comedy of the year” i — Arch Campbell WRC-TV Hft ‘“BABY BOOM’is a total 10 - Jeffrey Lyons, SNEAK PREVIEWS/INN M ...gloriously funny.” — Susan Granger WMCA RADIO. NY “Brilliantly comic.’"r “A very funny movie... — Dennis Cunningham, WCBS-TV [ ••»«“«• you ve got to see it [| - Gary Franklin. KABC-TV FRI. & SAT. AT 7 & 9 SUN.7THURS. 7:30 TUES. *2.50 THE PRINCESS BRIDE ENDS THURS., DEC. 3 1111111 im I Iii i i i i i a Wintario Draw hosted by Blyth Festival Thursday, Dec. 10 at Memorial Hall Blyth Doorsopenat6:30p.m. Local entertainmentfrom7to8 p.m. -Dancers, singers and pianists Tickets available from Box Office [523-9300] & The Saga [523-4331 ] at $4.00each[includesone free ticket forthat evening’s draw] Saturday, December5, 2p.m. Seniors Matinee 8 p.m. Public Performance Vanastra Christian Reformed-.A Church Everyone welcome Refreshments Afterwards ■ Phone 357-1630 for 24 hour movie information Playing Fri., Dec. 4 at 7 pm Sat., Dec. 5at 1:30pm &7pm Please note: All seats$3.00 & the Lyceum will be donating Playingfrom Fri. to Thurs., Dec. 4to10 Showtimes: Fri. & Sat. at 9 pm only Sun. to Thurs. one showeach evening at 8 pm ■1 I ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ■ "Everyone Welcome" Christmas Dinner & Dance at the BM & G Community Centre SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12th Special Hour6-7 RoastBeef Dinnerat7:00 Catered by the BMG Catering Group Entertainment by "Here Comes Treble" Groupsand Individuals welcome $20.00 per couple Please bookby Dec. 4asthereareadvancedticketsonly. For more information call Dale Newman 887-6664 or Karen Hastings887-6983after6:00p.m.