The Citizen, 1994-06-29, Page 27ir—
i nc CITIZEN,WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1994. PAut 2f.
Theatre Review
‘Glengarry’, a promising start to Blyth season
Love struck
Mrs. Finch tends to a faint Maimie St. Clair, who appears to have recovered well enough to
notice Ranald MacDonald in this scene from Anne Chislett's Glengarry School Days, which
opened the 20th season of Blyth Festival Friday night. From left: Brenda Devine as Mary
Finch, Thomas Albrecht as Thomas Finch, Sheri Hastings as Maimie, Naomi Woodall as
Jessac, Andrew Croft as Ranald and Blyth's own Teaguen Onn as Hughie Murray.
Blyth launches 20th season
The Blyth Festival's 20th
Anniversary Season officially got
underway Friday with a gala round
of opening day activities that
included the world performance of
the new Canadian play Glengarry
School Days, the opening of a solo
exhibition of Woodcut Prints and
Wood Sculpture by Peter Wilde, a
gala opening night dinner and a
post performance reception for
everyone in attendance.
Among the numerous special
guests attending the opening
celebrations were The Honourable
Murray Elston; Huron/Bruce MPP
Paul Steckle and his wife Kathy;
Paul Klopp, M.P.P. for Huron and
his wife Heather; George Parsons,
President, Goderich Elevators and
his wife Fran; representing Roland
Flemming, President of National
Trust, production sponsor of
Glengarry School Days, were
District Managers Doran Love
(Goderich), Joyce Black (Exeter),
and Phil Schaefer (Wingham);
Steve Sparling, President, Sparling's
Propane and his wife Laurie;
Martha Henry, Artistic Director of
The Grand Theatre; Linda
McMaster, designer of the Festival's
1994 Season Poster; representing
The Blackbum Group Inc., Bruce
Pearson, Chairman, Bill Brady,
President and Al Skelton, Station
Manager, CKNX, Wingham;
Gwenlyn Setterfield, Executive
Director, Ontario Arts Council;
Eleanor Paine, Director, Ontario
Arts Council; Mrs. Cenetta Bainton,
Founding Member of the Board of
Directors and Member of the Blyth
Festival Honourary Council and
John Hunt and Katherine Stevens
of Petro-Canada, Toronto.
A romantic and passionate tale of
early Canada, Glengarry School
Days was written by Governor-
General Award winning playwright
Anne Chislett with Janet Amos
based on the novels of one of
Canada's best-loved early writers
Ralph Connor. The world premiere
production is directed by Janet
Amos with set design by Glenn
Davidson, costume design by Judy
Peyton Ward and lighting design
by Lesley Wilkinson.
The Woodcut Prints and Wood
Sculpture of Lucknow artist Peter
Wilde, which present a strong
message about the difficulties faced
by the youth of today, will be
displayed in the Blyth Festival’s
Bainton Gallery until July 16. For
this exhibition, Peter went to F. E.
Madill Secondary School in
Wingham to teach and work with
the students. To demonstrate a
teaching theme he had students
pose inside a box and the result is
the 18 large woodcut prints by Mr.
Wilde that are on display. Local
students also modeled for his
carved wood sculptures that
complete the exhibition.
Mr. Wilde graduated from York
University in 1984 and since then
has been a practicing artist, living
for the past two years in Lucknow.
His sculpture has been exhibited in
public galleries in Simcoe,
Cornwall, Oshawa, and
Peterborough and in commercial
galleries in Toronto and Montreal.
Recently he carved some of the
pulpit of St. Paul's Cathedral on
BUCK & DOE
for
MORGAN MURRAY
and
RON TERPSTRA
FRIDAY, JULY 15
For Tickets Call:
Michelle ~ 345-2407
Dennis ~ 887-6376
Amy - 887-6313 (after 6 pm)
London. His work has been
influenced by the work of German
artists from medieval times to the
present. It has a strong angularity
and an unfinished quality which
contribute to the feeling that the
struggle of the subject is ongoing
and not finished. The Season
Sponsor of the 1994 Gallery
exhibitions is The Old Mill - Snell
Enterprises Ltd.
Tickets for Blyth Festival
productions are $6 for youths,
$9.50 for previews, $15 for
weekday and matinee
performances, and $19.50 for
Saturday evenings. Groups of 20 or
more qualify for a special discount
for most performances. For
individual and group ticket orders,
brochures and information call the
Blyth Festival Box Office at (519)
523-9300.
HAPPY 65TH
JULY 3
Dad
(Roy Young)
From your 5 offspring + 4
and your 8 grand-offspring
By Bonnie Gropp
It was a stand up beginning to the
Blyth Festival's 20th anniversary
season Friday night, when the
opening night crowd gave a rousing
ovation to the cast of Glengarry
School Days.
Award winning playwright Anne
Chislett's thoughtful script is just
the first of many aspects of this
play, which is based on the novels
of Ralph Connor, deserving of
superlatives. Assisted by Janet
Amos, they have penned a story
that is intelligent without being
highbrow, that is alive with strong,
passionate characters.
Glengarry School Days takes
place in 1878 Glengarry County
where the sagas of some Highland
Presbyterian families unfold amidst
the controversy of free trade and
tarriff. The era is a more romantic
one than that in which we presently
live, though it is interesting to note
how many of the issues are similar.
While the expectations of the
parents compete with the awaken
ing spirit of their young people
there is much lively dialogue to
hold your attention from beginning
to end.
With politics, teenage angst,
class distinction and youthful rebel
lion providing the grist there's no
question the play can be serious at
times. But, it's also rife with subtle
humour, the type that neither
assaults nor insults your senses, but
like the story's conflicts reminds
you more of things that happen
day-to-day.
The characters, too, are natural,
the kind you admire for their
strengths and forgive for their
weaknesses. They are characters to
whom you can relate.
Bringing these characters to life
is a superb cast, all equally impres
sive, though special note must go to
Blyth's own Teaguen Onn, who
holds his own with the many sea
soned professionals sharing the
stage. The other young local per
formers also do an excellent job.
Other notables are charismatic
Andrew Croft as the shy Ranald,
Gordon Milroy and Brenda Devine
who give solid performances as the
Finches, Dennis Fitzgerald as the
authoritative reverend and Cliff
Saunders as a memorable Long
John Cameron.
Ms Amos, directs the production
with a light touch; each star shines
(Buc(<^& (Doe.
for
BARB ALEXANDER
& STEVE BOWLES
Saturday, July 9
9 p.m. -1 a.m.
Elma Community Centre
Atwood
Age of Majority
$6.00/person
Music by Ken, D.J.
through. The pace is constant and
the transition from scene to scene
smooth. The music provided by the
Brussels Public School Grade 5/6
choir is a pleasant and appropriate
interlude during changes.
Set design by Glenn Davidson is
simple but effective while Judy
Peyton Ward's costume design is
authentic.
It's not often that a play will have
just the right amount of all the right
ingredients. When it does it's a
treat. Glengarry 'School Days
seems to be one of these rare gems
and if its any indication the 20th
season of Blyth Festival looks
promising, indeed.
FORTHCOMING
MARRIAGE
Ron Smith and Shelley Bray
are pleased to announce
their forthcoming wedding
on July 9,1994 at 4:00 p.m.
The ceremony, dinner and
celebrations will be held at
the home of
Larry and Janis Bray
Ethel, Ontario
100th
BIRTHDAY
COME - AND - GO
TEA
The family of
ELSIE CUNNINGHAM
wishes to Invite friends to a
Come-And-Go Tea on the
occasion of her 100th
birthday.
The celebration will be held
on THURSDAY, JULY 7
AT HURONLEA
In Brussels from
2 P.M. to 4 P.M.
Gifts gratefully declined