The Citizen, 2004-10-07, Page 23e
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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2004. PAGE 23.
Entertainment Leisure
Theatre review
Avon's 'Monte Cristo' a bit disappointing
classic deserves. adventure enough to keep some
There are some good moments. entertained.
such as when Dantes first returns to It is, as mentioned before, not all
his friends. And. there is humour and that bad. However, I have come to
Summer theatres
gather in Blyth
expect more from Stratford.
The Count of Monte Cristo plays at
the Avon until Oct. 30.
Happier times
David Snelgrove as the young Edmond Dantes and Dana
Green as Mercedes Mondego are happy in this scene from
The Count of Monte Cristo unaware that in a short time
Edmond will be unjustly imprisoned. The production is
playing until the end of the month at Stratford's Avon
Theatre. (David Hou photo)
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
Stratford Avon Theatre's
production of The Count of Monte
Cristo isn't all that bad. The big
problem is that it isn't all that good
either.
The play, adapted by Marshall
Borden and directed by Andrey
Tarasuik, is a fast-paced adventure
with plenty of action. But at just
under two hours it's too much story
in too little time, with uninspired, at
times mechanical performances.
Alexandre Dumas' classic story is
a tale of retribution and revenge. The
young Edmond Dantes, first mate on
the Pharaon, is set up by Fernand,
who wants Edmond's fiancée
Mercedes for himself. Imprisoned
on his wedding day. Edmond is
befriended by an elderly prisoner,
Abbe Faria, who tells him of hidden
treasure at Monte Cristo.
When Edmond finally escapes he
finds the treasure and returns as the
Count of Monte Cristo to avenge the
wrongs against him.
As a family-adventure, The Count
of Monte Cristo's swashbuckling
swagger is enough perhaps, to catch
the attention of young theatregoers.
However, the performances are
affectedly dispassionate, and the
casting somewhat questionable.
Blyth alum Robert King turns in a
solid performance as a Bonapartist,
while Joseph Shaw gives an
The Blyth Festival is hosting the
annual conference of Ontario
summer theatres on Oct. 4 and 5 at
Blyth Center for the Arts.
ASTRO, the Association of
Summer Theatres (ERound Ontario
is a network of 29 professional
theatres, founded in 1985 to promote
the support. growth and cultivation
of summer theatre in Ontario. Their
annual theatre brochure and website
at www.summertheatreorg links
audiences to some of Canada's best
performers in unique and historical
venues in Ontario.
ASTRO president, Rachel Hilton
from the Stratford Festival says
"whether you like to tap your feet of
a musical, experience masterpieces
by Shaw or Shakespeare, see the
latest and greatest in Canadian
works, or by rapt by a good mystery,
each of our ASTRO theatres offer
the perfect theatre getaway at 'our.
theatres each summer."
"Ontario's theatres offer a diverse
range of entertainment to suit
everyone's tastes", says Jane
Gardner, general. manager • of the
Blyth Festival. "ASTRO's annual
gathering and sharing of ideas offers
theatres an opportunity to learn
about other successful plays,
develop co-production deals.
broaden our network and
professional development
opportunities and hear about the
progress of everyone's seasons. This
is the second time that the Blyth
Festival has hosted this annual
conference".
Attending the, two-day conference
are leaders from 4th Line Theatre
(Millbrook), Bluewater Summer
Playhouse (Kincardine), Blyth
Festival, Century Church Theatre
(Erin). Drayton Entertainment
(theatres in Drayton, Grand Bend,
Penetanguishene and St. Jacobs),
Festival of Classics (Oakville),
Georgian Theatre (Meaford), Gypsy
Theatre (Fort Erie), Lighthouse
Festival Theatre (Port Dover),
Nipissing Stage Company (North
Bay), Port Stanley Festival Theatre,
Red Barn Theatre (Jackson's Point),
Resurgence Theatre (Newmarket),
Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-
Lake), Showboat Festival Theatre
(Port Colborne), Stratford Festival,
Theatre Cambridge, Theatre
Collingwood, Thousand -Islands
Playhouse (Gananoque), Victoria
Playhouse (Petrolia) and Welcome
Wood Theatre (Brockville).
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Blyth Junior Broomball
Registration
Saturday, .410 --v- October 9 1ft
2 p.m.
Blyth Arena s
, -
(late registration fee)
,
Ages 9-19 Boys & Girls
Any questions call
- Linda Pease 523-9558 or ii Tracy Cook 523-9592
ONA ON" Pk" fiv% /NA "" /NA "" eV% ON" 91" Pk"
www.movielinks.ca long distance?1-800-265-3438
join Vie Main- .
£ !facade),
in concert to launch Phil's CD
!lathe* San( a)
Blyth Memorial Hall
Saturday, October 16
7:30 p.m.
Tickets $10. ($30. family)
- available at
Luann's Country Flowers
Ykaceeda to
.Nattli 3tivcati Youth
fat
admirable turn as Abbe Faria.
The rest of the performances are at
best wooden, at worst exaggerated.
David Snelgrove is a bland Young
Edmond, while his adult counterpart,'
played by Brad Rudy is a stark
contrast. Neither of them is a
charismatic Dantes, nor does their
pairing with Dana Green as
Mercedes ignite the essential sparks
to make the story of undying love
believable.
The costumes and . design by
Francois St.-Aubin and Guido
Tondino respectively certainly set
the stage for this 19th century tale. It
is unfortunate that the story and the,
performances fall short of what this
.