The Citizen, 2000-07-05, Page 27THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 2000. PAGE 27.
Entertainment Leisure
Theatre review
‘Corker’ brings
A sign offriendship
Jamie Robinson as Corker in the Blyth Festival production
of Corker raises his hand for a high-five from social worker
and friend, Glenny (Bob Nasmith). Off Broadway Photography
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
From the opening scene as funeral
attendees listen to the final wishes of
the deceased “hippie” to the final
hug, Blyth Festival’s Corker brings
laughs, tears and thought.
The story revolves around a young
man, Corker, who has been left at
“The Pit”, a group home for mental
ly-handicapped adults after his
mother dies and his father is unable
to deal with the challenges.
As the tale begins, family mem
bers attend Serina’s funeral. Serina
was a good-hearted soul who
worked in soup kitchens and at the
foodbank, assisting those less fortu
nate. It was through those unselfish
endeavours that she took Corker
under her wing.
Unable to communicate easily and
prone to violence if startled or
thoughts, laughs, tears
threatened. Corker had faced intoler
able conditions at the home and
often fled to Serina’s for solace.
When Serina dies suddenly (a
mystery which is revealed late in the
tale). Corker is given the address to
her uptight, stressed, estranged sis
ter, Merit’s home.
This is where the hilarity, sorrow
and struggle to do what is right
begins.
As clerk of the provincial cabinet,
Merit and her lawyer husband have
worldly goods, but realize they have
little else in their lives. Their time is
spent away from each other or on the
phone. When the financial troubles
of both her husband Leonard and
brother heat up, Merit's life begins
to crumble.
Then, in strolls (or break and
enters) Corker.
He is the catalyst to force Merit to
look at her life.
It is through his narrowed vision
and understanding of the world and
its pleasures that Merit begins to see
what she has missed and what she is
too late to repair.
Not only does Corker force Merit
to examine her own life, but the rela
tionships she had created with her
mother, brother and now deceased
sister.
The performances in. Corker are
wonderful and though his lines are
few, the presence of Jamie Robinson
as Corker on stage is felt and reacted
to by both the other players and the
audience.
His portrayal appears realistic,
neither overdone nor understated.
His preparation for the role is evi
dent. Though mild and quiet when
comfortable, his explosions into vio
lence could be foretold and under
stood once the audience came to
know Corker.
When the tale of his life is told,
sympathy for his experience helps
the audience see his reactions from
another perspective.
As the couple to whom Corker’s
allegiance is switched when his care
giver Senna dies, Michelle Fisk as
Merit and John Blackwood as
Leonard were perfectly cast as the
40-somethmg yuppies who had time
for nothing but their careers, includ
ing family or each other.
It was uplifting to watch the slow
transformation back to actual human
beings with feelings as Corker infil
trates their lives.
The supporting cast is equally
good. Anne Anglin as mother
Florence is terrific as she struggles
with the death of her eldest daughter,
loss of identity in the ^community
and the loneliness of advancing
years. It is Florence who is able to
realize Corker's worth while others
see him only as a disturbance.
Bob Nasmith does a nice job of
Glenny, the overworked, underpaid
or supported social worker who has
tried to help Corker and others find
homes as monies are continually cut.
It is through his early interactions
with Glenny that the audience is able
to see a gentle, sweet Corker.
John Fitzgerald Jay, as money-
challenged brother Gal, adds another
crack in Merit's weakening wall
around her “perfect” life. Gal is that
relative everyone hates to see arrive
as the hand is often out and the
blame is never his.
Ro.ss Manson’s directing creates
soft, quiet repose when needed, but
jumped to life as Corker burst onto
the scene.
The humour throughout the play is
handled well, allowing people to
laugh at circumstances where
restraint is often socially expected
when outside the theatre. It enables
the audience to see Corker as just
another human, beyond his handi
caps and not defined solely by them.
For those who have thoughts
about the current government, a few
one-liners bring laughter from the
audience.
Look who’s 80
You are invited to an
“OPEN HOUSE”
in honour of
Effie McCall’s
Birthday
Sunday, July 9
1:30 ~ 3:30
at the Blyth United Church
While Corker looks at the lives of
one family as impacted by an out
sider, it also encourages the audi
ences to examine their own social
conscience. What are provincial
governments doing for those in need
and what, as a community are we
doing?
An excellent production on a num
ber of levels. Corker should not be
missed this season.
It closes Aug. 5.
Jtappp 40 th
Bradley James
Knight
You’ve come a long
way baby!
Happy 50th Dad
on July 7th
Love Wes, Jen, Tara, Chad 8i
Brett
We invite you to drop in and help
us celebrate Ross’s birthday on
Saturday, July 8
at Tara & Chad’s house
at 341 Queen St. (Main Street),
Blyth from 2-?
Best Wishes Only
Please Recycle This Newspaper
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WE’RE HAVING
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Krista, Terry & Tamara
would like to invite you to
help us celebrate
Mom & Dad’s
25th (LnniiwL&aiy
(Ken & Linda Bird)
Saturday, July 8
8 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Brussels Legion
Casual dress
Children welcome
Best wishes only please
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