HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-07-17, Page 27N :3 SZISS :a at abSSS
Starting Friday,
July 19
Independence Day
Rated PG
One show only
Ii PM.
Friday, Saturday,
Sunday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday,
Closed Monday.
357-1630
BUCK & DOE
for
Tracy Bosman
and
Paul McLennan
Sat., July 20
9 pm - 1 am
Age of Majority
Tickets $5.00
For more info.
call 527-1247
or 887-9558
1. Wednesday
190 WING NITE
Thursday
LADIES' NITE
Friday
The Ultimate Tribute to Pink Floyd
IN THE FLESH
'Large Screen Video Presentation
'Motion Lighting *Pyro *Costumes
'Spell Binding Computer Graphics
OPEN TIL 2 AM
1ST TIME AT JONNY'S
Saturday, July 27th
JONNY'S GOLF TOURNEY
Tee Off 4 - 6 pm
Hwy 8 West, Clinton
482-1234
,
MONSTER BINGO
1 09000 • Prize
Money
Sunday, July 28, 1996
Lucknow Sports Complex
Doors Open 6:00 p.m.- Bingo starts 7:15 p.m.
Advance tickets on sale at the
Bank of Montreal, Lucknow.
Get your seat early.
Proceeds to Arena Fund.
Watch next week's paper for further details.
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1996 PAGE 27.
Entertainment Day
cooking
will
disp l ay s
fe ature
Theatre review
Play full of users and losers
Fading youth
Martha Henry and Geordie Johnson star in Tennessee
Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth at Stratford's Tom
Patterson Theatre.
By Bonnie Gropp
The intimate Tom Patterson The-
atre gives a wonderful fly on the
wall view of the troubles and weak-
ness of human nature in Tennessee
Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth.
A story of lust, vengeance and
lost youth, of losers and users,
power and purpose, The Stratford
production features a stellar cast.
Yet, while the majority fits well on
the cozy Patterson stage, the larger
than life talent of one actor seems
to this reviewer too big for the
familial setting.
There is little question that
Martha Henry is an incomparable
actor. Yet, it is that essence of her
that seems ill-suited to the cozy
Patterson atmosphere. Henry por-
trays fading starlet, Princess Kos-
monopolis, with a fervour more
suited to a larger theatre and audi-
ence. While the standing ovation at
the end of the show clearly marked
her as its star, her acting occasion-
ally seemed exaggerated in com-
parison to the more subdued
performances of her cast mates.
The princess's interaction with
the others begins in the first scene
as the audience gets a peak into a
hotel room in America's deep
south. Chance Wayne has spent the
night with the princess. Wayne,
played with a James Dean swagger
and cynicism by Geordie Johnson,
is a sensualist, who uses and takes
what he needs to improve his life.
The one thing he failed to get,
however, was his love, Heavenly
Finley, portrayed with ethereal sad-
ness by Martha Burns. It was after
her father the powerful Boss Fin-
ley, had threatened Wayne years
before, that he fled his home in
search of the fame and fortune that
would make him an acceptable
suitor for Heavenly.
Success has alluded him and
now, Wayne has returned, but age
and the fear that his time may be
past, inspires him to take drastic
measures. In the hotel room with
the princess, he attempts to extort
money and a contract for stardom.
The two begin a strange affair in
which they alternately abuse and
protect, help and need each other,
while all the while Wayne chases
his Heavenly dream.
- However, what he does not know
is that the last time he was with
Heavenly she contracted a sexually
transmitted disease, which has left
her barren. In revenge, Boss has
made it clear that Wayne leave
town or he will have him castrated.
Lewis Gordon gives an excellent
turn as Boss, a man with such a
driving need for power and control
that he will destroy anything that
threatens to alter the course he has
chosen for his family, even his
daughter's chance for happiness.
While Sweet Bird is definitely a
dark portrayal of humankind, it is
not without its lighter moments.
Chick Reid as Miss Lucy, Boss's
mistress, is fun, a 'doll with a heart'.
And in the interplay between
Wayne and the princess there are
some very funny asides. This is
where Henry truly shines, when the
opportunity to let her character
laugh at herself and her failures
lightens the heavy drama.
One scene in particular proves
what a commanding presence she
is. While artfully applying, "the
face that she shows to the world,"
she listens to Wayne tell his life
story. Though she had little to do
but sit before a mirror doing her
makeup, and react, Henry attracted
and held attention.
There is little doubt that director
Diana LeBlanc holds Henry's talent
in high regard, having worked with
her before in the 1994 and 1995
seasons' Long Day's Journey into
Night . And so she should, such tal-
ent deserves nothing less. Yet,
while it's obvious Princess Kosmo-
nopolis would be a more overtly
dramatic figure than the other char-
acters, I couldn't help wondering if
the play might be better if Henry's
edge was a little less sharp, just a
shade more natural.
Generally Sweet Bird is an exam-
ple of less being more. Minimal
sets and understated performances
combine to enhance the feeling of
being a spectator. With the excep-
tion of the moments when Henry's
intensity is too close for comfort,
being a fly on the wall in this life
drama, is an experience worth hav-
ing.
CAPITOL
THEATRE
291-3070
All Seats $4.25
LISTOWEL
• Dolby Surround Sound Stereo
STARTS FRIDAY
July 19 - 25
6:45 & 9:30
Please note times
doors open
6:15
(No ticket sales after show starts)
INDEPENDENCE DAY
PG
•
(Frightening scenes & violence)
Continued from page 26
bush she and husband Ray operate,
but also ties in maple syrup to
another of the farm's products,
pork, in a special maple-flavoured
sausage.
Cooking demonstrations will be
performed throughout the day by
the Huron Food Advisors, under
the direction of home economist
Deb Campbell. The demonstrations
will focus on giving a new twist to
traditional ingredients.
The day will end with a picnic-
style barbecue from 6 - 8 p.m.
featuring beef, pork, turkey and
wild boar. Unique local products
from emu pate to smoked chicken
will be featured on the taste-
tempting hors d'oeuvres table. The
barbecue price of $12 for adults ($6
for children under 12) includes
food fair admission. Barbecue
tickets are limited and should be
reserved by calling the Blyth
Festival box office, 523-9300.
Admission to the food fair alone,
which runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
is only $2 for adults, $1 for
children and $5 for families.
Proceeds go to the Blyth Festival.
BUCK & DOE
for
BILL PATTERSON
AND FRAN SMITH
Saturday, July 20, 1996
Elma Logan Arena, Monkton
Lunch Provided Dancing 9-1
Tickets: $6.00 each
Age of majority required
For tickets call: Steve 348-9509
Scott 887-6558 or Rob 347-2814
AE4 U
GOOERICH 521.7611
JULY 19 - 25
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FRI. - THURS. FRI. & SAT. - 7 & 9:15 PM
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INDEPENDENCE DIY
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