Village Squire, 1978-06, Page 7Alan Scarfe as Frank Ford and William Hutt as Falstaff in the hlerrn WiNes of Windsor, at the 1978
Stratford Festival.
Excitement
still there
What can you do that is new and exciting when you're
performing plays by an author who's been dead for 400 years and
when you've been doing them for 25 years? Well, the Stratford
Festival must be putting excitement into it somewhere because
in its 26th season it gives every appearance of having its biggest
crowds ever.
Festival Artistic Director Robin Phillips caused something of a
stir when he announced the upcoming season, and announced
some more and some more until there were 18 productions in all
on schedule. The burst of activity comes from the re -opening of
Third Stage the small waterfront theatre space which features
experimental and Canadian productions.
He threw some more excitement in when he announced that
the opening night at the Festival this year wouldn't be the usual
opening of the featured Shakespearean production of the year
but A Gala Shakespeare Revel with performers from many
disciplines taking part.
He countered criticism of the lack of Canadian content by
scheduling several Canadian -written plays both at Third Stage
and at the Avon.
In short, Stratford is anything but stagnant entering its 26th
season.
The season opens on June 5 with the Gala. There's always
been something grand and elitist about the Festival's opening
night with people lining up to watch the celebrities drive up in
their big cars and parade their finest evening clothes. The Gala
will be even more elitist in a way in that only the select 2260
VILLAGE SQUIRE/JUNE 1978. PG. 5.