HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-07-26, Page 19THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2000. PAGE 19.
Entertainment^ Leisure
What was is now for Bly th Festival actor
Contemplating his work
Having completed a successful run in the second staging of
Death of a Hired Man at the Blyth Festival, Gil Garrat gives
deep thought to his role as an actor arriving in a farming
community to work on a collective about farming in The
Drawer Boy which opens this week.
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
Collectives and farming seem to
draw Gil Garrat to the Blyth
Festival.
After a successful run in Death of
a Hired Man, a collective master
minded by Blyth veteran Paul
Thompson, Garrat came to Blyth for
the 2000 season, not only to reprise
his role, but appear in The Drawer
Boy, opening July 27.
In the latest production, Garrat
portrays a Torontonian actor who
arrives in a farming community and
billets with two older farmers to
research The Farm Show, an actual
collective created by Thompson in
the 1970s and staged in a barn in
Holmesville.
Garrat is an actor who has worked
on a collective and is playing an
actor working on a collective, all fol
lowing the farming theme.
His work with Thompson on the
production of Hired Man was a
tremendous experience, he says.
As he interviewed farmers for that
show and worked on Mike Beretta’s
Morris Twp. farm in preparation,
Garrat says he came to understand
and appreciate the hard yet satisfy
ing work which is involved in farm
ing.
Having spent very little time on
farms, he says it was interesting to
watch videos of the original Farm
Show production as he worked on
Hired Man.
Garrat says it gave him a different
perspective with which to approach
The Drawer Boy character.
Viewing the video of The Farm
Show then working on The Drawer
Boy, in which The Farm Show is cre
ated, Garrat says he found himself
relating to Thompson as he worked
on that collective more than two
decades ago.
For Garrat, working with the man
which he sees as an icon in Canadian
theatre can be somewhat daunting as
he strives for that seal of approval.
However, he says the character in
The Drawer Boy is a great deal of
fun to play as he is taunted by the
older farmers who take advantage of
his niavete. “They get me to do some
strange things,” he smiles. But he
enjoys being the comic relief.
Garrat admits seeing himself in his
Drawer Boy character as he too
shares that niavete about farming.
He also is thrilled to be part of a
production which celebrates
Canadian theatre as The Farm Show
did.
“It was the first time (rural people)
could see themselves portrayed.
That’s what this show is all about. It
celebrates having theatre as part of
Canada, this county and the farming
community,” he says.
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Atwood hosts jamboree
It will be a weekend of great music
and family fun when Atwood hosts
Jamboree at the Woods July 28 to 30.
Activities begin Friday evening
with a pre-jam tent dance and chari
ty gaming event with musicians Neil
Murray and Drew Ness providing
the entertainment. There will also be
a show and shine and cruise night.
The New Country Jamboree fires
up Saturday with Jeff Tanner and
Carl Keyes, Randy Satchell, John
Landry, Lace and headliner David
Lee Murphy.
Local stepdancers will perform
between sets.
An “Under the Big Top’ communi
ty church service will be held at
10:30 a.m. Sunday, followed by a
luncheon and performances by local
musicians.
There will be an assortment of
food booths open throughout the
weekend and hot air balloon rides
available.
Proceeds from the jamboree will
be used to help build a new play
ground at the park.
Friday events run from 8 p.m. to I
a.m. The gates open at l p.m.
Saturday with the entertainment
beginning at 2 p.m. and running
through 12:30 a.m.
It is general admission for the out
door stage so patrons are encouraged
to bring lawn chairs.
Atwood Lions Park will be
licensed for the event but visitors are
not allowed to bring their own alco
holic beverages or glass containers.
For more information call 519-
356-2756 (show and shine), 356-
1103 (camping, ticket purchases
with Visa) or check out the website
at http://members.gate-way.net/
atwoodlions
Ticket prices include admission to
all events over the weekend, children
12 and under are free; 13-18, $15
and 19 and over, $25 in advance or
$30 at the gate.
Tickets can be purchased at Ralph’s
Service Centre, Atwood. Tracks and
Tracts in Listowel or through
Ticketmaster, 1-416-870-8000 or on
line at www.ticketmaster.ca.
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July. 24
Love your family
HAPPY 60TH
BIRTHDAY
CARMY!
Best Wishes from Doreen,
family & friends
In the tradition of The Farm Show...
Michael Healey’s Governor
General’s
July 27 at
Blyth Festival
-4 I
• 523-9300
BUCK & DOE
Ronnie Abell-Rinn
& Kathy Fraser
Saturday, August 5,2000
Blyth Community Centre
Music by D.J.
The Neat Guys
Lunch provided
Dancing 9-1
Tickets $5.00
Age of majority required
For tickets call Joe 523-9687
Buck |>oe
for
BtA/R B/EMAW <
Shannon Waro
on
SAT., JULY 29, 2000
at the Wingham Arena
from
9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
DJ by Joe Carter
For tickets contact
Todd Edgar at 357-1560
or Susan Bieman at 357-2957
CM’HO/
KEB
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