HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1994-05-11, Page 31E ntertainment
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Theatre review
Theatre review
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1994. PAGE 31.
Music slows down play
Reviewer can’t By Bonnie Gropp
Some fine acting and an interest
ing story were marred by a less
than memorable score and an over
wait for the end
By Keith Roulston
A confession, first of all: I have
never before written a review of a
play which I've left at intermission.
In fact, I can't ever recall leaving a
play at intermission before.
It wasn't all the fault of the pro
duction of Wall & Roy, a produc
tion of the new N.X.T. theatre
group at the McManus Theatre of
the Grand Theatre. But the theatre
became very hot and, as the first act
dragged on to one hour and 20 min
utes, my companion couldn't bear
the thought of how long the second
act might be. To tell the truth, nei
ther could I.
I wanted to like this production.
After all, if it's exciting to witness
the birth of a new play, how much
more so to be there at the birth of a
whole new theatre, especially in
these tough times. N.X.T. is a prod
uct of those times, launched with
no government aid, backed by a
group of supporters who will
recover their investments from the
proceeds of the shows. After those
investors have been rewarded for
their faith, the artists, a group of
London actors, designers and tech
nicians, will share the profits.
Things look promising as you
enter the theatre, the downstairs
studio theatre at The Grand. The set
looks thoroughly professional. The
lighting is adequate, if not spectac
ular. The problems start with the
script by Michael McKinlay, who
also directs this production. First
performed at Theatre Network in
Edmonton in 1985, Walt & Roy
won the 1984 Alberta Culture Play-
writing Award.
The play tells of the peculiar
relationship between the creative
Walt Disney and his more stolid,
business-like brother Roy. Set in
1936 on the eve of Walt's first great
full-length animated feature, Snow
White, the play poses an interesting
question about the marriage of cre
ativity to the practical nature that
makes it possible for the artists to
carry out jheir dreams.
The problem is it takes about an
hour of the first act before we begin
to touch on this question at all.
Until then Walt and Roy act more
like a couple of 12-year-olds in
arrested development. It seems
(perhaps the second act would have
spelled it out better but shouldn't an
80-minute first act have gotten into
it a bit more?) that Walt is having a
crisis of uncertainty about his work.
He's been drinking and there's a
gun on his desk.
In his notes, playwright McKin
lay says his studies of Wall Disney
led him to discover a man much
different than the smiling, self-
assured man who introduced The
Wonderful World of Disney on tele
vision. This Disney was stricken by
self-doubt, recrimination, fear and
anxiety.
Fine. It wouldn't be worth doing
the play if we didn't see a different
side of the man. But with a face
and character so familiar to the
audience, isn't it important to at
least touch base with the known
Disney before departing to parts
unknown? Phil Bulani's Walt, isn't
just insecure, he's childish. There's
nothing to like about him. There's
no sign of the genius, the strength
that obviously drove him to create
an empire. The pencil mustache
and blackened hair aren't enough to
recall the Disney we were familiar
with.
Tony Martin, as the less-known
Roy, fares better. There are times
when you can sympathize with him
having to deal with the erratic and
insecure artist. Too often however,
like Mr. Bulani, he descends into
hysterics and shouting. Eighty min
utes of this, and waiting for the
play to really kick into gear, proved
too much.
Here's hoping the production
improves between opening night
and the end of the run on May 28.
There has always been a dream of a
second voice in theatre in London
besides the mighty Grand. N.X.T.
theatre could be it, if it can find
stronger material and stronger per
formances.
Festival’s
J. Amos leads
workshops
Continued from page 30
in a tour of the village at 9 a.m. on
Tuesday and will be approaching
businesses and homes to discuss
the theatre.
The students will be in groups of
six, with a supervisor, and will be
clearly identified with badges.
They will be attending work
shops conducted by Janet Amos,
artistic director of the festival as
well as other members of the
administration.
Ms Johnston says most of the
activities will take place at The
Garage and the community is invit
ed to come and watch the proceed
ings.
The 'Beyond the Boards' program
was designed by the head of the
drama department at Goderich Dis
trict Collegiate Institute, Philip
McMillan. He will be assisted by
six OAC students as well as two
teachers in conducting the two day
program.
abundance of artistic styles in the
Tapestry Music Theatre's, Colours
in the Storm, at Blyth Memorial
Hall Sunday night.
The story of the life of Canadian
painter Tom Thomson is one
coloured with mystery and passion
and should need few embellish
ments to make it an entertaining
tale. Colours begins in 1912 when
Thomson first discovers the beauty
of Algonquin Park. It travels
through five consecutive summers
which he spent capturing the park's
natural beauty with his unique oil
paintings. It touches on his associa
tion with Dr. James MacCallum
who provides him with the finances
to devote his time to his work, and
a love affair with Winnie Trainor.
The mystery of Thomson's death
on July 8, 1917 and the idea that it
may have been foul play rather than
accidental drowning as the official
report stated raised some questions
at play's end.
Though writer Jim Betts chose to
leave out significant parts of Thom
son's Algonquin life, most curious
ly those spent with his mentor A.Y.
Jackson, and put more emphasis
than necessary on the secondary
characters, it is Thomson's artistic
temperament, love affairs and curi
ous demise that provide a provoca
tive backdrop for drama, mystery
and humour.
Done as a musical, however,
Colours often dragged where the
story line left off and the songs
began. The original compositions
were for the most part, lyrically
unimaginative and musically 'safe',
though well-performed by the capa
ble band comprised of Stephen
Woodjells, Mike Allen, Shelley
Coopersmith and Donna-Claire
Chaisson. Perhaps, it was that lhey
were named for his works, which
limited the writer, but their infusion
into the storyline felt at limes like
being caught in stop and go traffic
— and almost as irritating.
The actors are solid in their por
trayals, many of them moving from
role to role with chameleon-like
adaptability. In addition to Michael
McManus as Thomson and
Suzanne Bennett as Winnie, the
cast included Randi Helmers, Mar
tin Julien, Peggy Mahon, David
Naim and Stephen Walsh, a famil
iar face to Blyth audiences. Their
roles required wide range and all
were equal to the challenge.
Unfortunately it seemed at times
that director Richard Greenblatt, in
an attempt to please a variety of
tastes, had thrown too many ingre
dients in the batter, as scenes
whipped back and forth from the
campy to the almost avant garde.
Despite the flaws Colours which
wrapped up a scvcn-wcck lour in
Blyth, was an interesting play, wor
thy of note. Il is of a lime, a man
and a place more colourful, more
mysterious than fiction.
ENGAGEMENT
ANNOUNCEMENT
Mr. and Mrs. Harold
McCIInchey together with
Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer Kelly
are happy to announce the
forthcoming marriage of
their children,
Glenyce Marie
to
Murray Wilmer
on Saturday, June 4,1994
at 7:00 p.m.,
Egmondvllle United Church,
Egmondville. Reception to
follow at Seaforth Legion
HAPPY 18TH
BIRTHDAY
Mom, Dad, Kathy
& Grandma
THE
CARLTON
SHOWBAND
30th ANNIVERSARY TOUR
SATURDAY
MAY 28 - 8 P.M.
John Williamson
& Heidi Israels
Friday, May 13,1994
D.J. Lunch Provided
887-6695
Tickets $5.00
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
Buck & Doe
for
(Brian
& Connie (McClure
Friday, May 13 9 to 1
at Brussels, Morris & Grey
Community Centre
Age of majority required
For more information call
887-6907 or 522-1086
1
1 Phone 357-1630 for 24 houi
4 ^ACADEMYAWARDJ NOMINATIONS
IwBEST PICTURE
movie information
Starts May 13/94
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BEST DIRECTOR • Steven Spielberg
BEST ACTOR ■ Liam Neeson
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR • Ralph Ficnne
BEST SCREENPLAYiSISi'o?'"'" • Steven Zaillian
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE • John Williams
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY ■ Janusz Kaminski
‘The Best Picture Of The Year.
GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD - NEW TORK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE
■ NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW - LOS ANGELES FILM CimCS
ASSOCIATION - NATIONAL SOCIETY OE FILM CRITICS
BOSTON SOCIETY OP FILM CRI TICS - DALLAS FILM CRITICS
ASSOC LIT ION -CHICAGO FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION
SHOW TIME
7:30 p.m.
and will run until
11:00 p.m.
(with 15 min.
intermission)
Friday to Thursday
One Show
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