HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2002-06-12, Page 23An 'Outdoor' moment
Blyth's own Capucine Onn and Gil Garratt appear in a
scene from the 2002 production of The Outdoor Donnellys,
which opened at Blyth Festival on Friday night. (Terry Manzo
photo)
F r—a Kapp# 55'
2ittlidaft
anna Namittort
GOTCHA!
CNPITO4
KEN
TWIN CINEMA
SURROUND SOUND STEREO
FRI. & SAT.
6:45 & 9'15 PM
SUN. - THURS.
7:30 PM
SAT. & SUN. MAT.
2 PM
ALL MAT SEATS' 25
AFRAMAKIN
ilITTYMef ,
MEI
JENNIFER
/
IP NU elk • irs. lug
LONG DISTANCE? CALL
FRI. & SAT.
, 6:45 & 9:15 PM
SUN. - THURS.
7:30 PM
VIOLENCE FRIGHTENING SCENES
-800-265-3438 FOR TOLL FREE MOVIE INFO
if
AA
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12 2002. PAGE 23.
Entertainment Leisure
A\ A\ A\ A\ A\ Ali. A\ A\ \
►
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
It's the hottest ticket in town.
The Outdoor Donnellys which
opened at Blyth Festival this past
Friday night has been almost virtual-
ly sold out since it was announced,
after its tremendous success as part
of last year's season, that it was
being brought back.
Not having seen the production
last year, then having heard all the
chatter afterwards, I was left with a
feeling that I had missed something
important. Not one to enjoy that, I
was determined that it would be me
sitting in the reviewer's seat for this
year's opening.
I am glad that I was. This
Donnellys is indeed the theatrical
experience it is promised to be. A
unique blending of community and
stage, professionals and amateurs,
the play is a spectacle of co-ordina-
tion and co-operation.
It is also a spectacle for which you
best come prepared.
For anyone who spent last spring
and the days since in a treehouse in
Bora Bora, The Outdoor Donnellys
is a collective conceived by Paul
Thompson, which tells the story of
the infamous family from Biddulph
Twp. through a series of vignettes
and a main stage play.
Tickets for The Donnellys have
been sold out for some time. For
those who have them, however, the
following will let you know a little
about what you are in store for.
The vignettes, which occur at
locations throughout the community
are performed by actors and local
volunteers. 'Stagecoaches' transport
people from one location to another.
Arriving at the Blyth fairgrounds,
patrons are first directed to a booth .
where they can pick up their stage-
coach tickets. In the back of the
brochure they can choose a package
of three vignettes which determines
what coach they ride.
Show time is 6 p.m. Anyone get-
ting to the fairgrounds just slightly
before this time, will, in all likeli-
hood not get their pick.
As you embark, you may find
yourself standing in the centre of a
haywagon with nothing to hold onto.
Here again, is why it's best to arrive
well ahead of time. For older people
getting up and down may be a bit of
a challenge, as well.
WEDDINGS
Performed - your location or our
indoor or outdoor chapel
(non-denominationaf)
For brochure call:
REV. CHRIS MORGAN
ALL FAITHS PASTORAL CENTRE
BENMILLER, 524-5724
CHRISTENINGS
After viewing three vignettes, the
coach returns you to the fairgrounds
for the main show. Preferred seating
is wooden chairs, regular seating
ticket holders are on bleachers.
Anyone with a bad back may find
themselves suffering.
And taking along a cushion would
be advisable.
Think carefully about what the
weather may be like by 10:30 p.m.
and dress accordingly. One shivering
fellow in shirt sleeves had to leave
early.
All of this said, the show is a once-
in-a-lifetime theatrical adventure.
The wagon rides offer a glimpse of
town and it was fun, being from the
area, to listen to the comments of
visitors about homes, gardens and
other sights.
The main stage production is
exceptional, well-acted, highlighted
by action and surprises. There is no
difficulty discerning who's who as
actors switch characters throughout
the production.
If there are a hero and heroine in
this ensemble piece it would be Will
Donnelly and his women. Festival
Associate Artistic Director Eric
Coates portrays the club-footed
William as the thinking Donnelly,
stronger in character than brawn.
Kelly McIntosh, with slight changes
of costume is his true love Maggie
Thompson, the more serious Nora
Kennedy, and in a lesser role the iil-
fated niece Bridget.
Admirably giving voice and life to
these colourful historical characters
were Wes Berger, Curtis DeBoer,
Sean Dixon, Gil Garratt, Robert B.
Kennedy, Anne Lederman, Patrick
McManus, Capucine Onn and
Brendan Wall.
The set design created by Victoria
Wallace, and featuring the much-
touted stagecoach, driven by local
volunteer Dale Wanless, is another
star of this production, as is the cli-
mactic final scene.
The production gets top marks for
entertainment and interest, for
achievement, for ingenuity. yet, the
very thing that makes the production
so unique is also its biggest detri-
ment. Distractions, including some
neighbouring howling huskies,
added to back and bottom discom-
fort, diminished the attention which
this production deserves. There were
certainly times, particularly when
dive-bombing June bugs, caused a
diversion in focus that I wished I had
the opportunity to view The Outdoor
Donnellys, indoors.
HEALTH NEWS: ORGAN
DONATION Q & As
Is it legal to buy
or sell organs in
Canada?
(NC)—It is illegal to hey or sell organ ,
in this country. Canada's Human Tissue
Gift Act prohibits the sale of organs
and tissues for profit.
I have a certain medical illness.
Does that mean 1 can't climate my
organs?
Illness does not always preclude
donating. A medical team does thorough
examination of every potential donor
to determine which organs and tissues
can he used for transplantation.
For more information on organ and
tissue donation and how you can donate.
visit www.healthcanada.,:VOrtfanandtissue
on the Internet.
L1570111 11, 291-3070
STARTS FRIDAY
CINEMA 1 7 & 9:15 P.M. Family
Sunday Matinee 2 P.M.
SCOOBY-DOO
CINEMA 2 7 & 9:15 P.M. AA
SUM OF ALL
FEARS
IniNd %Ad 11,14 teNif
Buck & Doe
for
Calvin Schmidt
& Robin Cowan
Saturday, June 15
at the Blyth Arena
9 pm - 1 am
Music by D.J.
Age of majority required
Lunch provided
For info call
Joe 291-2144
or 523-9226
3
3)
C
C
C
C
glaff-t1 85th
Aktfulag
DAPiothy Scott
as jam 13
Love from family
*--)N
A
*1
A
1 for
4 MALCOLM GULUTZEN :- A . 1 & AMANDA MEDD r 6
] Saturday, June 22 C
Belgrave Arena I
41 k
4 4 1 .
4 Bus leaves Clinton Credit L 1 Union at 9:15. Stops at Blyth at I
A \ Scrimgeour's at 9:30. . .
A For more info or tickets call L 1 I A Laura 887-9443 or Greg 887-2638 L
\I \/ \ III 111/1r NI lr \r
Alk. A Ak AI. A\
Eced & Vac NI r
A for IL. 1 F
A Jim (James) . 1 . 4 McLean & ,
A
A
r
1 Sarah McArter
; Friday, June 21 F
] 9 pm - iam V
1
A Brussels Community [
1Centre r
A Music by D.J. L
1 I A Lunch provided - Age of Majority L.
1 Tickets: $5.00 I
A\
'V Contact: Mike 887-2658 A Becky 357-3045 Dennis 357-1643 6,..
Nir \ I 1 Pr 1I III \I 1 I 1/ \I
FRI. - THURS.
JUNE
14 - 20
Theatre review
`Donnellys' unique experience Stag & Doe
9:00 to 1:00
Lunch provided
Age of majority only k
4111;
• PARK THEATRE • :At ft: ..
GODERICH 524.7811 -OLT
•