HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-07-14, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2005. PAGE 19.
Entertainment Leisure
Theatre review
Insurance hot topic of ‘Wingfield’s Inferno’
comedic liming, in
vignettes that form
Wingfield saga.
However, while Beattie, who has
played Walt Wingfield thousands of
times is clearly the star, no one
should forget that behind him is a
good script. Needles, who is the son
of long-time Festival actor William
Needles, has become famous for his
Wingfield series. The plays have
been produced across Canada and
the first three. Letter from Wingfield
Farm. Wingfield's Progress and
Wingfield's Folly were broadcast on
CBC Radio’s Morningside. The
television version of (he first play
won the 1991 Gemini Award for best
performing arts programme on
a series of
the latest
Canadian television.
The first three, as well as
Wingfield Unbound, the fourth
installment, have been taped for
television.
While the laughs are plentiful in
Needles' story, it is also easy to
remember that he is an eloquent
writer, setting scenes up in lyrical
prose.
The farming misadventures that
audiences have come to expect from
Wingfield are not as plentiful as with
the earlier offerings. But he still
manages to poke good lun al
himself. However, with Inferno it’s
very clear that Needles has
something important to say. Never
has one been able to laugh so hard at
the ludicrous requirements ot
bureaucracy or the high cost of
covering ourselves, and still feel that
a point was made, intel I igeiyly.
Wingfield's Inferno is a light look
at the things that bother us. It is wise
and witty, typically Wingfield.
The clerk
One of many characters in Rod Beattie’s repertoire is
Harold the municipal administrator. Dan Needles’ latest
Wingfield installment, Wingfield’s Inferno, runs at Stratford’s
Tom Patterson Theatre until Aug. 14. (Terry Manzo photo)
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
Walt Wingield takes on the hot
issue of insurance in Dan Needles’
newest -offering in the Wingfield
series. Wingfield’s Inferno.
The production which runs at the
Tom Patterson Theatre in Stratford
until Aug. 14, is the sixth in this one-
man comedy series of an ex-urbamte
learning to live the rural life
The incomparable Rod Beattie
continues to bring alive a colourful
cast of characters from the
curmudgeonly Squire to Wingfield’s
wife Maggie. With a facial tic, a
squint or affectation, the award
winning Beattie changes persona so
effectively there’s never doubt as to
which character he’s playing.
Further establishing his range is
his ability with subtle gesture to
convey emotion— a smirk, a lift of
the eyebrow clearly lets the audience
in on his thoughts.
As the small-town newspaper
editor, Beattie opens Inferno with a
discussion about the high cost of
insurance. His talk leads to the issue
of high risk, then on to Walt
Wingfield, who left the corporate
world for the country life, and
therefore had to know about high
risk.
Through his letters to the editor,
Wingfield’s most recent story is told.
It describes the burning of the
Orange Hall, and the elaborate ruse
to cover this fact in the hopes of
getting an historical restoration
grant.
We become acquainted with
Wingfield and Maggie’s new baby,
Hope, and are re-acquainted with old
favourites like Freddy and Don. In
all, Beattie takes on the roles of over
a dozen characters, with impeccable
Roulston play premieres at Blyth
Blyth Festival's 30-year tradition of
producing world premieres continues
with Powers and Gloria by Keith
Roulston.
Raised on a farm near Lucknow.
Roulston decided he wanted to write
and has split his life since between
journalism and the theatre. Roulston
is an enthusiastic champion of local
stories - on stage and as editor and
publisher of The Rural Voice and
publisher of The Citizen in Blyth and
Brussels. Powers and Gloria is his
sixth play produced by the Festival.
He co-authored Another Season's
Promise with Anne Chislett.
Roulston describes his inspiration
for the script; “in a small town there s
no safe geographic space between
rich and poor, powerful and
powerless. We rub shoulders daily in
work, at church or in community
work, yet despite our public contact,
we often don’t connect We go home
to lives so different we might as well
live on separate planets.
Circumstances throw Edward Connell
Powers and Gloria Delaney together
creating a connection they’d normally
never have experienced.”
“Powers is one of those giants I’ve
been privileged to meet in my other
life as a journalist, people who have
helped build their communities and
their country. Who will take the torch
from these giants? Will it only be
those of birth, privilege and education
or will our society find ways to seek
out the best, no matter what their
background?”
Festival favourite Jerry Franken
(Heat Wave, Cricket and Claudette)
stars as Powers, an influential and
aging business tycoon. Sarah Allen
makes her Blyth Festival debut as
Gloria, the young home care worker -
a spirited single mom - charged with
nursing him back to health.
Powers and Gloria, directed by
Randy Hughson (Heat Wave), was
developed with the assistance of the
Blyth Festival’s Roulston Roy Play
Development Fund and the Laidlaw
Foundation, plays at the Blyth
Festival from July 9 until Aug.
13.
fr A & & A & A
fBMG Recreation
presents
Family Roller
Skating Party
July 22 7:00-10:00
at the Brussels arena
Inline, or rentals will be
available
Admission $2.00/person
or $5.00/family
Food Booth
and Bar will 1
be open c
Bring your &
favourite roller
boot'n songs
s
$
IV
1 Buck &, Doe I
1
3
1
3
3
3
3
3
3
for
MARY JANE RAWLS
and
RICHARD HASKINS
Saturday, July 23
7 pm - 1 am
Brussels, Morris & Grey
Community Centre
Music by DJ
Lunch provided
Tickets: $6 each
Available at Chocolates &
Fudge, JR's or by
contacting Laura Haskins
at 887-8779
Happy 19
Birthday
Cory
July 16, 2005
Love Mom, Dad,
Brad and Ellen
Ph. 523-9381 blythinn@bellnet.ca
Friday Nights
$1000. in cash prizes
Come in for details.
SATURDAY NIGHT
BANDS__
July 16
AC/DC Tribute Band
PARK THEATRE
GODERICH 524-7811 __ _
Fri, Sat & Tue
6:45 & 9:15
Sun, Mon, Wed
& Thur 8:00
□□(SouiyJ y
DIGITAL
Sexual Content
Coarse Language
July
15 - 21
LIFE'S A PARTY. CRASH FT. /
OWEN WILSON W.
VINCE VAUGHN
CHRISTOPHER WALKEN
I he children of Sheila and Doug Bauer
invite you Io help celebrate tneir
25th Wedding Anniversary
Frl, Sat & Tue
6:45
Sat & Sun Mat
2:00
•NICOLE KIDMAN AND Will, FERREIE^
ARE A KICK TO WATCII.”
I>-»M N£W*W».1.k
LONG DISTANCE? CALL 1-800-265-3438 FOR TOLL FREE MOVIE INFO
HEIDLEBERG KELLER HALL
IO75SARNIA RD, LONDON
(one block east of Hyde Park Rd,
located beside Luxury Pools)
SATURDAY, JULY 16TH
DANCE 8:30 - 1:00 A.M.
Lunch Provided
Contact Lindsay for more information
488-5195 or bauerlindsavOhotmailc^m
Best wishes only please or donations for the
local food bank.
Someone’s got a zoo loose..
Fri, Sat & Tue
9:15
Sun, Mon, Wed
& Thur 8:00 Bewitched ‘
HANOVER DRIVEdN
HANOVER 364-2066
Fri, Sat, Sun & Tue
July 15 - 17 & 19
Showtime Approx. 9:30
If YOU CAN’T GET OUT GET EVEN