HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1981-08-19, Page 2Sea060 . rMwrday ,. August 19, 1111
By Jeanne Buchanan:`
Hockey fans will appreci,
ate Fire On Ice, the story of
one of the game's greatest
heroes, now playingat the
Blyth : Summer Festival.
Collectively created from.
an original, well -researched
script by Keith, Roulston,
Fire On Ice follows the rise
and fall of Howie Morenz,
the 'Babe Ruth of. Hockey'.
Born and # raised in Mit-
chell until the age of 14 when
his family moved to Strat-
ford, Moreni first began
making a 'name for himself
in the city industrial leagues
and the midget league. In
1923 he signed a pro contract
with the Montreal Canadiens
of the. NHL where he spent
11 years and became a star.
After a few 'bad seasons' he
was traded to the Chicago
Black Hawks, . returning to
the Canadlens in 1936. In
1'.
Fire on Ice, which opened at Blyth Summer Festival -last
week, is the story of hockey great.HoWie Moreno. Pictured
here in the production, left to right, are Prank Scott, Keith
Thomas (who plays Morenz): and. William Dunlop. (Photo
byHaekiags,)
1937, he suffered a freak
accident on theice, fractur-
ing his, leg in five places.
While recovering in hospital,
he suffered .a heart attack
and died at 34 years of age.
Fire On Ice follows this.
brief synopsis with laughter,
song and plenty of dramatic
action while also exposing
the big business side of
hockey. Its violence; and the
fickleness of its fans.
Keith Thomas, who played
Yock. Bauman in Blyth's first
production of Quiet in the
Land this season, : makes a
handsome, serious Howie
Morenz who lives and
breathes the game of hockey.
He can't cope with the fact
that he is slowing down as hie
becomes older and in the
play, it is said he dies not of a
heart attack but of a broken
heart because . he can't play
hockey the way he used to.
Graham. McPherson ex
cells in his roles, first as
Dynamite Dan, a drunk who
hangs around the arena and
exaggerates his own hockey
past to anyone who will listen
and later as Jacques, a bar
tender in Morenz' restaurant
_who tries to persuade Mot.-
, ent notto be so hard on
himself.
William Dunlop shows ver-
satility in his roles. He plays
the ruthless owner of the
Canadiens, more interested
in . box office receipts than
people's lives. He also plays
a mobsterwith great comic
flare, looking like -one of the
'Blues ' Brothers'.
Sam Robinson is good as
Candtens coach, Cil Hart
and Frank Scotthelps around
'out the cast as a fellow
hockey player,
One.,. of the highlights of
the play is the scene:n which
snob -connected owners dis-
cuss. the profitability of. ex•
panding into the U.$ market
while watching Morenz play,
all the time `'becoming more -;
Impressed with his speed
and skill.
John Roby composed and
performs the music „for Fire
On Ice. It includes the typical
pre -game organ pieces:. one
hears in NHL ,arenas.
The set by Pat Flood
represents a rink surface
with players' boxes at both
sides and the prominent red,
white and blue colours, every-
where. Suits ' with baggy
trousers and slicked -back re-
mind audiences of ;the era.
Skillful direction by David
Fox helps in the more. sen-
sitive scenes, showing fellow
team-mates' jealousies when
Morenz .signs his pro con-
tract; Morenz' difficult first
year as a rookie;. ' and his
frustrations as a hockey
player. in later years.
If ' you are a lover of
Canada's national sport, . you
won't want to miss, Fire On
Ice, It plays August 13, 14,
19, 20 (at 2 p.m.) and 22,
ROS
the Iffeipeilsive
u gin..;
�s Naw
sic IlISTRIJC1IO
AT
1LIII..:E iLUOINOW, ONTARIO
ModOrnpsaliglassloal
Instructor
Marilyn
• Murray
i
Mo erGUITn and CI 1Cal
4 AR
Instructor
Anita
Dekker
ORGiAN
ACCORt IAN
Minimum Age:. Kindergarten [5 roars'
. Adults Wolooino
For More information Call 5283211
Or Drop in To BIlio In Music ,
Gift Certificate
g1oo off any purchase of MOO or more
Limits One per customer
kot
Blatt IN MUSS