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PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2001.
Theatre review
Gory battle scene greets 'Henry V' audience
A moment
Graham Abbey as King Henry V, Sara Topham as Princess
Katherine and Domini Blythe as Alice perform in the Avon
Theatre's production of Henry V. (Courtesy photo)
By Ashley Gropp
Special to The Citizen
Upon entering the Avon Theatre in
Stratford to attend a performance of
Shakespeare's Henry V, audience
members are immediately exposed
to a gory battle scene, one where
modern theatre collides with the
Elizabethan age. This conflicting
imagery often adds interest in this
production of Shakespeare's hiori-
cal play.
The story of Henry V is • one of
heroics, betrayal and success against
the odds. Newly crowned king,
Henry is presented with evidence by
the Archbishop of Canterbury that
some French territories should right-
fully be English land and the promise
of support if Henry fights to reclaim
them. Henry and the English army
invade France, leading to a seeming-
ly hopeless battle against a . much
superior French army.
- The Chorus, played by Seana
McKenna, opens this play in
Shakespeare's dialogue, asking the
audience for forgiveness, and plead-
ing with them to use their imagina-
tions. No apologies are necessary, for
Stratford Festival and Director
Jeannette Lambermont have done a
great job of mounting this production
and helping the audience to translate
Elizabethan English through various
methods. Choices such as having a
chorus consisting only of one person,
and the use of the screen during bat-
tle scenes were very smart decisions
made, as they helped bring the play
to
The acting plays.a large role in the
success of any play. Here, several
actors give outstanding performanc-
es, their voices clear and concise.
Particularly. noteworthy performanc-
es are those cif McKenna, Paul Dunn
(as the Boy) and Graham Abbey
,(who played the title character).
Abbey displayed a complex ver-
sion of the young king, showing not
only his heroic side, but also his
weaknesses. He commanded the
stage, seeming, at least, very com-
fortable in the role of King.
Dunn proved that age does not
relate to courage, as he shows a
much more mature and courageous
side than his masters. McKenna's
voice added much interest in what
could have been made dry
Shakespearean dialogue.
A screen projecting different
images creates the backdrop for the
stage. It enhances meaning to the
audience, and helps create a very dis-
mal mood.
Although its presence is very
much a part of the production, it
never seems to take away from the
scenes, only add to them. Like the
screen, each piece of the stage is
used in powerful and interesting
ways, often showing an inner strug-
gle in itself between the worlds of
today and the world of King Henry
V.
Running until Nov. 4, Henry V is a
powerful production and worthwhile
for anyone interested in
Shakespeare, history, or an evening
of good theatre.
Agnes McBurney
will be celebrating her
90th birthday
at the home of
Jean and Ron McBurney
on
Sunday afternoon,
August 26, 2001.
Relatives, neighbours and
friends are invited to come
and celebrate this special
occasion.
Bring a smile and stay
awhile.
Best wishes only please.
Renowned film and stage star
Christopher Plummer has agreed to
play King Lear during Stratford's
50th season in 2002 in a production
directed by noted British director
Jonathan Miller.
"Christopher Plummer essaying
the role of King Lear for the first
time would be an event anywhere in
the world but it is especially fitting
that he is going to perform here at
the Stratford Festival, in its historic
50th season," said Artistic Director
Richard Monette.
Plummer, a member of the
Festival's board of governors, last
appeared at the Stratford Festival in
1996 as John Barrymore in
Barrymore, which went on in 1997
to Broadway, where Plummer won
his second Tony Award for the role
as well as his third Drama Desk
Award and his second Outer Critics'
Circle Award for Best Actor of the
Year.
"I have to be there for the 50th
year," Plummer said. "Stratford was
. a part of my professional youth and
'has remained, to this day, a part of
my heart."
A veteran actor of international
renown who has made more than 80
motion pictures, he was a leading
member of Great Britain's Royal
Shakespeare Company, the Royal
National Theatre and, in its forma-
tive years, the Stratford Festival of
Canada, where he first joined the
company to play the title role in
Henry V in 1956, the final year of the
Festival tent.
He also played the title role in
Hamlet in the inaugural prtrduction,
of the permanent Festival theatre in
1957. His last major Shakespearean
role on the Stratford stage was Mark
Antony opposite Zoe Caldwell as
Cleopatra in the 1967 production of
Antony and Cleopatra.
"Christopher is one of Stratford's
most illustrious alumni, one of its
earliest stars, and currently a board
member," Monette said. "I' m
thrilled that he's returning to do one
of Shakespeare's master works."
King Lear will run from August to
November at the 1,800-seat Festival
Theatre.
...to keep halogen
and regular light
bulbs away from
anything that can
burn. Place them
where children
and pets can't
knock them
over.
MARsitf<,
Plummer to play King Lear
11 pie . flavour
Children at the Cornerstone Bible Fellowship's Vacation
Bible School in Ethel play a spirited game of pass the apple
around a circle. About 57 children attended daily, organizers
said. (Mark Nonkes photo)