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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-09-19, Page 31THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019. PAGE 31. ‘Bed and Breakfast’ closes season with laughs While Mark Crawford’s work is well-known at the Blyth Festival, having penned works like The New Canadian Curling Club and Stag and Doe, the production of Bed and Breakfast offers a little something more than his past offerings. As has become Crawford’s hallmark, he truly understands life in a small town. While his previous works shown in Blyth have proved he knows the fun and the comedic inherent in Huron County, Bed and Breakfast shows that he also knows the pain and prejudice that can be a problem there as well. As he dealt with racism in The New Canadian Curling Club last year, Bed and Breakfast deals with homophobia, and Crawford brings the problem that can be present in rural communities to life with unerring accuracy. The play, which features Crawford and his real-life partner Paul Dunn taking on numerous roles between the two of them, is a comedy, but it has its dark moments, its heart- string-tugging dialogues and, most importantly, it deals with the issue of bigotry that can be prevalent in rural communities. In their primary roles, Crawford and Dunn play the couple of Brett and Drew, respectively. The two live in a small apartment in Toronto with Brett working as an interior designer and answering design questions on a television show. Drew works in a large hotel, trying to climb the corporate ladder. The couple wants to be homeowners, but find themselves constantly outbid on homes they find interesting. Tragedy strikes when Maggie, Brett’s aunt and a very important part of his childhood, passes away. While visiting the funeral, Brett’s father explains that Maggie left her large Victorian house to Brett. Brett grew up in the town, he explains, as he spent many of his childhood summers with Maggie. After spending some time in the home preparing to sell it, then returning to their lives in Toronto and discovering their life in Toronto has lost some of its lustre, Brett and Drew, despite concerns from friends, decide to move in to Maggie’s home and open a modern bed and breakfast. The two are concerned about moving to a small community and the reality they may face as a new gay couple in the community. Some of those concerns are allayed when they meet the genuine and kind people of the community. Unfortunately for the couple, that isn’t the end of the story and, sure enough, they run into homophobia in a number of ways, leaving them, as the first act closes, wondering if they made the right decision moving to a rural community. As the curtain rises on the second half of the play, the problems are dealt with, secrets are revealed and the small town proves to be much more than it first appeared. The play is directed by Ashlie Corcoran. It premiered at Thousand Islands Playhouse in 2015, becoming the best-selling show in the history of the theatre. Since then, that creative team, including Dunn and Crawford, has taken the show on the road over the past four years. That familiarity and experience shines through as Dunn and Crawford perfectly, and near- manically, switch between roles constantly throughout the show. Crawford’s small-town comedy is prevalent throughout the play and, he and Dunn show the two classic ways to tackle multiple characters. Crawford relies on different voices to bring the multiple characters to life. From a forced baritone to a falsetto, and from mundane language patterns to eclectic, he clearly identifies each of his characters. Dunn, on the other hand, relies on exaggerated caricatures to make it clear whether he’s playing an aging contractor, a university-bound student struggling with his own future, or any number of characters in between. While there are some dark moments throughout the play, and some tough conversations, Crawford proves that even the most controversial of situations can be comedically brought to life, while also showing his range as a writer. The play is spartan, with the audience having to imagine everything from cell phones to lattés to plates of baked goods. Sound effects help bring that imaginary world to life with the talent of sound designer John Gzowski. It should be noted that, like another of Crawford’s plays, The Birds and the Bees, there are some moments that might make more buttoned-up audiences blush, though anyone expecting any less probably didn’t read about the play beforehand. Bed and Breakfast runs through Sept. 28, marking the end of the Blyth Festival season. The Sounds of Harmony For tickets call Grace 519-392-6429, 519-335-6342 Tickets available at Libro in Wingham from Karen or call Doug 519-238-2973 Any member of the Kings or Belmore Choir ADULTS $20, CHILDREN 12 AND UNDER FREE Proceeds go to the Alzheimer Society & Wingham Town Hall restoration fund THE BELMORE COMMUNITY CHOIR WITH THE SEAFORTH HARMONY KINGS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 AT WINGHAM TOWN HALL SHOW TIME 2:00 PM MADD Huron/Bruce Presents... The Schneider Male Chorus & The Glister Children’s Choir Saturday, October 5, 2019 Lakeshore United Church 2:30 pm 56 North Street, Goderich (wheelchair accessible) Tickets: Adult - $20 • Youth 6-18 - $15 • 5 & under - Free Net Proceeds to MADD Huron/Bruce Gerald & Carol McDowell The Family of invite you to celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary Come & Go Open House Sunday, September 22 Auburn Community Centre 1 to 3 pm Best Wishes Only Happy 50th Anniversary Roy and Ruth Hardy Love your family Entertainment Leisure& Change of pace Worn out by the hustle and bustle of Toronto, Brett and Drew, played by playwright Mark Crawford, left, and his real-life partner Paul Dunn, inherit Brett’s aunt’s old home in rural Ontario and opt to turn it into a stylish bed and breakfast. Bed and Breakfast premiered in 2015 at the Thousand Islands Playhouse and quickly became the bestselling play in the history of the theatre followed by runs at Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre and others before its inevitable stop in Blyth. (Denny Scott photo) By Denny Scott The Citizen