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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-08-27, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27,1997 For Teens, By Teens Cracking down on A trip to the theatre young offenders By Erin Roulston As I've mentioned many a time in this little column of mine, I am into theatre and love acting. I've grown up surrounded by actors, writers and directors. I've spent many nights in my life on stage and many in the audience. The more I learn about the world of theatre, the more I love it. Recently I went to the Stratford Festival to see their production of Romeo and Juliet. This is only the third show at Stratford which I've seen. All were Shakespeare's, and this was by far the most anticipated one. I have a special love for Romeo and Juliet', it was the first Shakespeare play I ever read and I had the pleasure of playing Juliet in a scene for the Blyth Young Company production last year. As I watched the play I observed the acting technique, the directing style, the set and costume design, even the lighting design, and I realized that I do not watch a play the way a normal person would. Due to all the theatrical training I have received, I am much more observant of those small details that I don't think I'd notice otherwise. I notice the blocking of the actors; how they stand in relation to the audience, and I notice when it is done poorly too. I notice, as happens a lot with Shakespeare, the lines that they have cut, or changed, and then I wonder what motivated them to make the change. For example, with this version of Romeo and Juliet, they changed the location from Verona to Nereva and Mantua to Matura. I asked an actor why she felt that change was necessary. I learned that the director had made this decision in hopes of giving the show a Caribbean feel. I felt it was a poor decision. I also am beginning to notice the lighting design of a play. How different colours give off different moods, all sorts of great stuff. I'm still trying to decide if this new understanding is a good thing or not. It tends to take away from the magic of a fight scene if you know exactly how to do the moves. The characters don't seem real af all when you've had a conversation with the actor who plays her. But it's also wonderful that I can really appreciate all the work that goes into a show. If the show is really well done, I can recognize that if I'm lucky. Either way, a trip to the theatre can be a learning experience and great entertainment for everybody. BY MARK NONKES A couple of weeks ago, Mike Harris' government introduced a new program for young offenders. Up near Orillia, in cottage country, a boot camp has been built called Project Turn Around. For now, it's just a trial run, but if it works out, then, we can expect to see more boot camps popping up. What they want to happen is all young offenders except arsonists, murderers and sex offenders spend their sentence in a place like Project Tum Around. Project Turn Around runs a lot like an army. Drilling the young offenders are ex-army officers. They make them train and do the exercises that any army recruit would do minus the weapons training. Social workers and many other staff members will also work with the young offenders. The Tory government hopes this will steer the youth not to commit crimes again. But will this help? Hopefully it will, but could this just be a way to spend our tax dollars and make the young offenders stronger. Prison doesn't always rehabilitate criminals. A lot are repeat offenders who started when they were young. It's a good idea from the Harris government. Hopefully it will work. Fewer criminals will make this a much happier country. MICROTECH MDL FEATURE I COMPUTERS DOORS 887-6974 Make the best of school BY ASHLEY GROPP It's that time again! As September is rapidly approaching, so is the first day of school. Summer seems to have flown by, just quickly enough for us to have forgotten everything we spent the previous nine months learning. Now is the final week before beginning classes and realization is beginning to kick in. Pools are shutting down soon, summer sports are over, and the weather seems so much cooler. The beginning of school officially marks the bittersweet end of summer vacation. On one hand, there is no more sleeping in (for those of us without a summer job) and it's time to start doing homework again. On the other hand, though, it's a chance to see all your friends again every day (even the ones you never really got to see much this summer). School is one of the situations of life that you need to make the best of. It can be a bore, and yet it can be a lot of fun. High school can seem a lot longer than four or five years if you don't do something to help pass the time. Get involved in activities, make new friends. Have a great year! WHERE DO YOU TURN TO FIND OUT WHAT'S AT THE MOVIES? YOUR NEWSPAPER: The link to your community HELPING THE WORLD WRITE NOW CODE Self-sufficiency through literacy in the developing world For information, call 1-800-661-2633 CANON - HEWLETT PACKARD 10 KING STREET CLINTON ONTARIO * 519-482-3363 AUTHORIZED IPC DEALER 9(eep the (Doors to the Future Open Beautiful Styles to Make your House a Home Available through your local MDL Dealer FARMAND L INDUSTRIAL PARTS y RADFORD AUTO j r Blyth 523-9681 \ Hope you are all having a great summer vacation from all of us at PAINT SPRAYER Brussels 887-9661