HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1991-07-17, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1991.
Entertainment Conservation area hosts
Theatre review
Play not from the realm of the everyday
A gripping scene
Julie Stewart, as Max, pleads with her father, Quinn,
played by Blyth Festival artistic director Peter Smith in this
scene from Sean Dixon's End of the World Romance,
which premiered in Blyth last Thursday. The play is a
unique tale that is part fable, part vaudeville, part love
story.
BY BONNIE GROPP
"You might have noticed I am
not from the realm of the every
day." So says Crow in the Blyth
Festival production End of the
World Romance, which opened last
Thursday.
Anyone who went to the play and
expected to see an evcrday story
would have been sadly mistaken.
From the script to the performances
and finally to the set design and
costumes, End of the World is an
imaginative, witty play, that begs
you to look beyond the obvious,
reach past to your imagination then
let go. z
The story is about broken rela
tionships, and the trauma of grow
ing up. Playwright Scan Dixon
look these mysteries and treated
them with sensitivity, and a lot of
downright silliness. The talc is dif
ficult to explain, but the finished
product, is in essence about three
people, facing tremendous obsta
cles and winning.
Rose is the first character we get
to meet as she is on stage before the
play even begins. We learn she is
silling on the wind because she has
misguidedly decided it serves no
good purpose in life, only destroys.
She has been there for 4,197 days
and is prepared to fight if anyone
tries to "boot her off".
Her marriage to an immature, but
likeable man, Quinn, ended 12
years before when she "belted" him
900 miles over two Great Lakes
and he didn't know why.
The story begins as he and his
daughter Max come in search of
Rose to try and pul things back
together.
Mixed in with this is a misan
thropic, wingless crow, who rides a
winged bicycle, hales adults and
wants all children to never grow
up.
The production, directed by Greg
Spoltiswood, is part fable, part
vaudeville and part slapstick. The
actors carry the shtick ably, appear
ing comfortable with these some
what off-the-wall characters.
Peter Smith, the Festival's Artis
tic Director is Quinn, almost literal
ly so. His affable nature, warmth
and comedic talent blend together
so naturally to play the character,
you wonder just how different is
the man from the pose.
Rose, is played by Laurel Pactz,
a familiar face to Blyth theatre
goers and Smith’s real-life wife.
She does a fine job with this multi
faceted persona and really seems to
enjoy doing it.
Julie Stewart makes a memorable
Blyth debut as Max, the young
daughter, who finds herself silting
al the precipice of adulthood and
more than a little hesitant to move
on.
Goderich native Kevin Bundy
takes on the role of Crow, the dark
ly sinister fairy-tale creature, with
typical aplomb.
Seaforth Minor Sports
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The costumes for End of the
World were designed by Mary Ful
ford, with the intent of achieving a
stylized look that is not walking
street reality. The effect is perfect,
the costumes arc as interesting and
amusing as the play itself.
Pulling together the surreal effect
is the set design by Jean Morin.
Like the play it exemplifies the idea
that all things are not always as
they seem and perceives the world
as a little slanted. Like the play it
lakes something real and elevates it
from the ordinary.
Granted, End of the World
Romance is not going to be for
everyone. But, for people who sec
the world as the often absurd place
it can, for people who believe or
want to believe in dragons, clowns
and happily ever after, for people
who want to remember being
young and the world of make-
believe then you should lake a
chance on this play. Leave your
sensibilities at home and remem
ber, as Quinn says, "remarkable
things do happen."
Pied Piper
at Playhouse
continued from page 19
Mandy and the Magus & Pied
Piper start July 16 and run on vari
ous dales until August 23.
"Mandy and the Magus" is a onc--
act play written by Brian Tremblay
which he describes as a musical
fantasy adventure. The moral of the
play is you should really mean it
when you say "please" and "thank
you". Mandy wishes to make her
"rotten little brother" perfect, but
after a visit to the "Valley of Dark
Things" she is happy to have her
brother just as he is.
Mandy's doll, Mr. Davenport
(Max), Captain Tanglewood and
The Magus, (a spinner of magic
yams) and her pct Magwort play
important roles, Chartcrways spon
sors Mandy and The Magus.
"The Pied Piper", inspired by
Robert Browning's poem "The Pied
Piper of Hamelin" who cleared the
rats from Hamelin in 1372 A.D.,
features the Mayor (the good guy)
and King Rat (the bad guy) in this
fascinating play by Dorothy Lees-
Blakely, sponsored by 3M Canada
Inc.
Happy Belated
16th Birthday
Erin Bolger
From Your Friends
'Fiddling at the
Imagine yourself relaxing along
the scenic Mailland River, on a
summer afternoon, while listening
to some great live music! If this
seems like a good idea to you, then
plan to attend the 'Fiddling at the
Falls' Jamboree to be held al Falls
Reserve Conservation Area, on Sat
urday, August 17, beginning at 2
p.m.
The Jamboree will be held in the
day use area of the park and will
last throughout the afternoon. The
Gypsy Ramblers will be featured,
and other musicians are welcome to
attend and lake part. In the evening
a dance will be held.
Day use admission to the Falls
Reserve Conservation Area will be
free for this event. Dinner will be
available on the site.
Musicians who would like to take
part in the Jamboree are asked to
contact Park Superintendent Geoff
King, at 524-6429, or the Maitland
Valley Conservation Authority at
335-3557. Dinner will be provided
free of charge to musicians who
Happy
Birthday
Ron Me.
The family of
JIM AND BARB
FRITZ
cordially invites you
to share with them
their
25TH WEDDING
ANNIVERSARY
JULY 20TH
at their home
OPEN HOUSE
2-4, 8 - ?
Best Wishes Only Please
FRI.-THUR. FRI. & SAT. 7 & 9:30 PM
JULY 19-25 SUN.-THUR. 8 PM
Kurt Russell-Wiiliam Baldwin • Scott Glenn
Jennifer Jason Leigh ■ Rebecca DeMornai
Donald Sutherland and Robert DeNiro
BACKDRAFT
LONG DISTANCE? CALL 1-800-265-3438 FOR TOLL FREE MOVIE INFO
Falls
perform on stage.
Falls Reserve Conservation Area
is located at Benmiller, 10 minutes
from Goderich on County Road 31.
The Park offers full service camp
ing.
Friends, neighbours and
relatives are invited to a
miscellaneous
Bridal Shower
in honour of
Barb Patterson
at the home of Bev Elliott
July 20, 1991
2 p.m.
$
Gi/lfe TJil/age
floral Grafts
OPEN
Monday-Saturday
12-6 p.m.
SPECIAL
WEDDING &
ANNIVERSARY
ARRANGEMENTS
523-9168
HWY. #4 LONDESBORO
Right next door to
Radford's Farm Equipment
the
Blyth Iw
THURSDAY NIGHT IS
WING NIGHT
Wings 30e each
MINIMUM ORDER 10
a variety of sauces available
SORRY NO TAKE-OUTS
Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri. & Sat.
5 P.M. - MIDNIGHT ONLY
CHICKEN WINGS &
CHIPS $4.95
EAT IN OR TAKE OUT
THURS., FRI. & SAT.
NITES
PIZZA
BUY ONE & GET A
2ND FOR
1/2 PRICE
5P.M. - MIDNIGHT
EAT IN OR TAKE OUT
ENTERTAINMENT
July 19 & 20
Denis Siren
523-9381 LLB.O