HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-08-28, Page 35Appreciative acceptance
Blyth Festival Theatre President Keith Roulston, left, and
Artistic Director Janet Amos, gratefully accepted a
certificate from Ontario Lieutenant-Governor Hal
Jackman, which recognized the 1995 Lieutenant-
Governor's Award for the Arts grant received last
December. The $25,000 award was given to Blyth -
Festival Theatre for its continued support of Canadian
artists, hard work and its ability to prosper in a small rural
community. Lieutenant-Governor Jackman told the Aug.
23 gathering at the Bainton Gallery, Blyth, how impressed
he was with the Festival success.
Sarrymore' marks return
of famous Festival alumni
E ntertainment
Theatre review
`Godot' good for Gen-X
WHEN?
• •
24 hours,
for life. • •
•
Medic Alert
1-800-668-1507
FORTHCOMING
MARRIAGE
Rob & Carole Lawrie are
pleased to announce the
forthcoming marriage of
their daughter Krlsta Lee to
Derek Cameron, son of Don
& Marie Jefferson. The
wedding will take place
Saturday, September 14,
1996 at 3 p.m. Bayfield, Ont.
BLUEWATER
KENNEL CLUB
Experienced InstruCtors
Serving Huron County for over 20 years
presents
DOG
OBEDIENCE
COURSES
Novice & Open Levels
For Dogs Over 5 Months
10 week course
$70.°°N.,,,.$90.°°Open
Course graduates should attain a
level of obedience equivalent to CKC
trial standards
Starting
Tuesday September 3
Novice 7.8 p.m. Open 8 - 9 p.m.
Seaforth Ag Society Building,
Seaforth Fairground:,
HEALTH & RABIES CERTIFICATE REQUIRED
Pre-Register by calling:
LYNN FLOWERS .
524-4963 After 5 p.m.
FLORENCE PULLEN
HAPPY 22nd
BIRTHDAY
Rhonda
Stadelmann
on Friday, Aug. 30
Gotcha Back!
Terrl, Jackie, Nancy
& Barb
:sve:- GODEAICH 524-7811 ---•-.110- 411.11K-
ENDS THURSDAY
FRI. - THUR. AUG. 30 - SEPT. 05 FRI. - TUES. AUG. 30 -SEPT. 0
FRI. - TUES. 7 PM. 9 PM NITELY 14 N1%1.4011.1111 WED. & THURS. 8 PM *Eta=
LONG DISTANCE? CALL 1-800-265 3438 FOR TOLL FREE MOVIE INFO
" .9 9 9 ;a 9 :a .9 9 9
Starting Friday
August 30
Escape to L.A.
starring Kurt Russell
Rated AA
Fri. & Sat., 7:00 & 9:00 p.m.
Sun., Tues., Wed. &
Thurs., 8:00 p.m.
357-1630
0 0 4 0 0, 4 °
1
It
It
9
9
It
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1996 PAGE 35.
Continued from page 34
wonderfully entertaining-new play,
we're doing so in partnership with
the country's foremost producer of
quality commercial theatre. And to
top it all, we see the return to a
Stratford stage of Christopher
Plummer, one of the Festival's most
illustrious alumni and most loyal
friends."
"We are especially gratified to be
working again with Chrislopher
Plummer, and to be part of his
return to Stratford," said Livent Inc.
Chairman and CEO Garth
Drabinsky. "This will be my sixth
artistic collaboration with this
magnificent artist. Christopher's
voice, his presence and his
charisma give him the uncanny
ability to explore, and compellingly
portray, the full range of the human
condition."
"I'm confident that Barrymore
will contribute to the Stratford
Festival's traditions of showcasing
great acting and inspiring new
generations with timeless classics,
a legacy lovingly nurtured by
Richard Monette and his talented
company."
International star of stage and
screen, Christopher Plummer began
his association with the Stratford
Festival in 1956 as the first young
Canadian to head the company,
when he appeared in the title role
of Henry V. During the Festivals
formative years under the direction
of Tyrone Guthrie and Michael
Langham, Plummer played
numerous major parts including the
title roles in Hamlet, Macbeth and
Cyrano de Bergerac, as well as
Benedick in Much Ado About
Nothing and Mark Antony in
Antony and Cleopatra.
As a testament to his ongoing
commitment to the Festival,
Plummer donated his time and
talent in performing his one-man
show A World or Two Before You
Go as a benefit for the Stratford
Festival on July 13, 1993, marking
the 40th anniversary of the first
performance on the Festival stage.
Additional casting of a second
character in Barrymore includes
Michael Mastro, who plays the off-
stage prompter Franklin Hodson.
Mr. Mastro most recently appeared
as Buzz/Perry/Arthur in the
Broadway production of Love!
Valour! Compassion! Some of his
other credits include St. Stanislaus
Outside the House, Naked
Faith/Alone But Not Lonely and
Escape From Happiness. Film and
Television credits include On
Seventh Ave. (Twentieth Century
Fox); Law & Order (NBC); and
One Life To Live (ABC).
Barrymore will be directed by
accomplished stage and screen
actor and director Gene Saks.
Directorial credits include Enter
Laughing, Mame, Brighton Beach
Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, Broadway
Bound and Lost In Yonkers. Film
directing credits include: Neil
Simon's Barefoot in the Park, The
Odd Couple and Brighton Beach
Memoirs. His renowned directorial
work has earned him eight Tony
Award nominations, three Tony
Awards and two Drama Desk
Awards.
Santo Loquasto will be designing
the sets and costumes for
Barrymore. He has received
numerous awards for his design of
stage and film productions. Mr.
Loquasto's recent accomplishments
include the design of sets and
costumes for The Cherry Orchard,
Lost In Yonkers and the National
Ballet of Canada's revised
production of The Nutcracker
which debuted in December, 1995.
Film credits include Desperately
Seeking Susan, Big and Mighty
Aphrodite.
In addition, he will be designing
the costumes for Livent's world
premiere production of Ragtime,
opening Dec. 8 at Toronto's Ford
Centre for the Performing Arts.
CAPITOL
THEATRE
291-3070
All Seats $4.25
LISTOWEL
. Dolby Surround Sound Stereo
STARTS FRIDAY
August 30 - September 5
7:00 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
A TIME TO KILL
AA
Mature Theme, Language
May offend, sexual violence
By Janice Becker
Often billed as the "quintessential
play of the 20th century", Stratford
Festival's Waiting for Godot, may
be the 1990's theatrical version of
Seinfeld, Red Skelton's Freddie the
Freeloader and Bill Murray in
Groundhog Day.
Set on a desolate stretch of road
where few travellers seem to pass,
Vladimir (Tom McCamus) and
Estrogon (Stephen Ouimette), a
pair of worn-out and worn-down
friends, sit waiting for someone
who never comes.
It may be a statement well-under-
stood by the 20-something genera-
tion which expounds on their future
with no hope and nothing to look
forward to. Do they sit along a
roadside waiting for a happening
which never occurs? Is there pur-
pose in their daily lives, or any-
one's, as the same chores, duties
and chatter reoccurs with each
dawning?
Though Waiting for Godot may
seem depressing and dark ,it isn't.
The two friends find solace in each
other's company, recognizing his
need to be with the other and how
life does not go as smoothly alone.
As they sit waiting for Godot, the
man who will supposedly come and
solve all their problems, the pair
finds comical, light-hearted ways to
pass the time. Dancing is fun, but
Estrogon prefers Vladimir refrain
from singing, he remarks with a
scowl.
As for the performances,
Ouimette was, as always, excellent
in his role as the slightly curmud-
geonly Estrogon, always annoyed
and irritated by his friend, yet pre-
ferring not to be left alone.
Ouimeue's facial expressions can
demonstrate emotions words do not
adequately describe. He can go
from frustration to disbelief to
anger and questioning with the
twitch of a muscle. He projects
what others feel.
McCamus's Vladimir is the mir-
ror image of Estrogon with his opti-
mism and strong belief that Godot
will come, that life will be better
and dawn will come again.
It is the interaction of the two
characters, with their intimate
knowledge of the other's personali-
ty, which lends itself to the comical
asides, whispered as one traveller,
Pozzo, and his slave venture into
their daily routine.
Pozzo, wonderfully portrayed by
James Blendick, is a flambouyant,
self-centred and haughty rambler
who passes their way. He is a man
most have come across at one time
or another, one who talks just to
talk, but expounds gibberish.
In the end, the audience is left
considering what just happened, as
the same characters come before
Vladimir on the second day of their
wait and yet none recall having met
him before. Is the play just a recur-
ring dream in Vladimir's mind or is
it symbolism of how people pass
each other day after day, yet hardly
take notice of the other's presence?
Waiting for Godot is enjoyable,
thought-provoking and particularly
well-performed by McCamus and
Ouimette, who never leave the
stage for the two and a half hour
production.
•