HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1994-05-04, Page 23THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1994. PAGE 23.
Theatre Review
‘Miracle Worker’ cast makes show electric
directed by Martha Henry, The
Grand's artistic director. As Annie,
Brooke Johnson gives a breathtak
ing (almost literally in the physical
scenes) demonstration of this deter
mined, caring woman.
Strong performances also come
from two old favourites at the Blyth
Festival. Kate Trotter plays Helen's
mother, a woman determined to get
help for her daughter, but afraid to
hope the child can ever be normal.
David Fox plays her husband, now
blustering, now moved by his love
for his daughter.
A very special performance
comes from young Maggie Blake
as Helen. The Grade 5 Stratford
student gets to say one word during
the entire play, yet has a pari I hat
requires tremendous physical effort
and split-second liming.
There wasn't any hesitation m the
audience leaping to its feet 1 ,r a
standing ovation al the end of the
opening night performance Friday
night. One suspects this was the
first of many standing ovations for
this inspiring production. If you
think that your life is difficult
because of job worries, or high
taxes, or your own fatnily prob
lems, lake in this performance.
You're sure to come out of the the
atre feeling better than when you
went in.
A Grand Miracle
Darryl Patrick as Percy, left and Marcia Johnson as Viney, right, two members of the Keller
household staff entertain Helen Keller, portrayed by Maggie Blake, on the front porch of the
Keller home. Set in the 1880s in Alabama, this inspired true-life drama The Miracle Worker
runs at The Grand until May 21. Also pictured is Morgan (dog) as Belle.
By Keith Roulston
We take many things for granted
in life, even such miracles as our
ability to hear and see. The thrilling
production of The Miracle Worker
at The Grand Theatre in London
makes one realize just how pre
cious these very basic senses are.
Blessed with a strong cast this
production of the 1959 William
Gibson play is an inspiring, mov
ing, almost exhausting night of the
atre. It is, for those who don't
remember the 1962 movie of the
same name, the story of Helen
Keller, or rather the work of her
nurse, Annie Sullivan in helping
Ms Keller reach her full potential.
Ms Keller was born a normal
child but at 18 months of age was
struck by a virus now thought to
have been meningitis. She sur
vived, but was struck blind, deaf
and mute. Her parents called in a
succession of doctors but none
could help get through to the child
who had no way to communicate.
Finally Dr. Alexander Graham
Bell, the inventor of the telephone
and teacher of the deaf, led them to
the Perkins Institute for the Blind
in Boston where Annie Sullivan
was sent to work with the girl.
The play revolves around Helen's
frustrations at being cut off from
the world, and Annie's frustrations
in finding a way to reach a child
she thinks is obviously highly intel
ligent.
But first she decides if she is ever
to get through to the girl she must
teach her some form of discipline
(hardly politically correct in the
1990s). The child has been spoiled
by sympathetic parents and ser
vants so that she is like a wild ani
mal. In one extraordinarily draining
scene in act 2, Annie battles to get
Helen to remain quietly at the din
ner able and eat with utensils
instead of grabbing food off the
table whenever she wants. Annie
sits Helen down. Helen escapes.
Annie retrieves her, physically
picking her up and sitting her on
the chair, only to have the child
escape again. On and on the strug
gle goes in a battle of wits with
Helen holding her own. After what
seems like an incredible period of
time, Annie finally gets her to sit
still . . . and receives a huge round
of applause from the audience.
But getting the child to just sit
E ntertainment
I - • I
Blyth family hosts dance
A Blyth family is doing their part
to repay a hospital which played a
big part in their life.
Jim and Sylvia Parish's son
David, spent many months in Chil
dren's Hospital of Western Ontario,
in London, as an infant. David is
now seven and doing fine, but the
family felt they should contribute
something to the hospital, says Mr.
Parish.
To that end, the Parish family
will be hosting a benefit dance at
Blyth and District Community
Centre on May 7 with the proceeds
going to the Children's Miracle
Network Telethon.
Mr. Parish says he hopes $2,000
to $3,000 can be raised. "We want
to get the community involved in
the fundraiser because it makes you
feel good when you can help."
He says the dance will feature
country and line-dancing style
music, both old and new, per
formed by the Parish Family Band
and DJ Don Bakelaar.
The Parish Family Band has been
together for 20 years and has per
formed over much of the region
though this will be the first time in
Blyth.
still, though it pleases the parents,
is no victory to Annie. If the child
is to unleash her obvious intelli
gence, she must have a way to
communicate. And to communi
cate, she must grasp the concept of
language.
Language: the ability of a word
we hear, or read on paper, to create
an image in our minds. How many
of us ever think about the wonder
of that? Little by little, listening to
our parents and family talk, we
absorb the concept. But for a girl
cut off from visual or auditory
stimulus for most of her life, the
concept of language means noth
ing. Over and over Annie tries to
connect something in Helen's life,
her doll or her mother, to the letters
of sign language she spells out by
having her hand feel the fingers of
Annie's hand. The intelligent child
can quickly mimic the spelling of
the words but can't make the con
nection between word and object.
Finally, at the climax of the play
when Helen seems about to revert
to the spoiled, wild animal she was
at the beginning of the play, when
Annie seems to be about to lose her
long battle, Helen makes the con
nection with the one word she
knew before her illness Strack.
She would gc on not just to be
able to understand, but to talk. She
went to college at age 20, became a
public speaker who spoke before
thousands. She will always be
known for her work as a militant
suffragist, humanitarian, lecturer,
author, pacifist and a campaigner
for the rights of the disadvantaged.
The gripping story is made an
electric theatre experience through
the work of a wonderful cast,
in the Storm
ONE SHOW ONLY
8 p.m. Sunday
May 8,1994
a musical play
about Tom Thomsom
C i by Jim Betts ~
Director Richard Greenblatt
Music Director Stephen Woodjetts
Produced by Tapestry Music Theatre
Tickets $17.00
523-9300
s.
THE
CARLTON
SHOWBAND
30th ANNIVERSARY TOUR
SATURDAY
MAY 28 - 8 P.M.
MEMORIAL HALL - BLYTH
Tickets
$20.00 ea. Advance $25.00 ea. At Door
Available at:
Blyth Festival Ticket Office &
Carol's Candies & Collectables - Blyth
Visa/Mastercard phone orders 1-800-465-7829
■ Phone 357-1630 for 24 hour movie information
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STARTING j
FRI., MAY 6th ■
Fri. & Sat., 7 & 9 pm
Sun.-Thurs., 8 pm
STARTING
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A MARVELOUS |
ENSEMBLE OF ACTORS
led by Tom Hanks and
Denzel Washington."
[51 WINNERS□ GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS
BEST ACTOR from Hanks mrnl ®
UPCOMING
Schindlers List
On Deadly Ground
Thumbelina
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