HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-08-19, Page 35Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, August 19, 2009 - Page A35
OSto entertainment
Dea:Hines: Friday @ 2 p.m.
Lake Huron -based comedy described as hilarious
"We're allowed to treat family way,
way worse than we'd treat a stranger."
This statement from playwright Michael
Healey sums up the theme of The Nut-
talls. Shake off any misconceptions that
this play might be reflective or dramatic.
There's only one word that adequately
describes The Nuttalls—hilarious.
Ev (played by Catherine Fitch) is a
tough -talking, agoraphobic mother from
hell who is obsessed with her Royal
Doulton figurines. She rents out cottag-
es on the shore of Lake Huron, each one
named after a Prime Minister. Her son
Ec (Gil Garratt) is a long-haired, tat-
tooed, dead beat who reluctantly helps
with the rentals and has a strange love/
hate relationship with his mother.
Ec's plan to enlist and go to Afghani-
stan creates even more conflict between
the bickering mother -son team. Aban-
doned by his fiance, Ec needs a stint
in Afghanistan to give his life mean-
ing. Ev has her own needs. She wants
her son at home, partly to help with the
work and partly to care for her as she
suffers with, as both characters call it,
"a relapsing, remitting, degenerative,
terminal illness."
The interaction between these two, as
they try to out -talk and out -smart one
another, is hysterical. As Ev's disease
progresses, her antics make the play
even more outrageous. Fitch does an
admirable job of pairing slapstick with
quick-witted banter as she alternates
between gullibility and slyness. As Ec,
Garratt excels at playing the dolt. When
he performs corny songs that he wrote
about his ex -fiance Beeb, Garratt's fa-
cial expressions are almost as comical
as the words.
Even though she only appears in the
play for a brief time, Claire Burns as
Beeb is delightful as the tongue-tied,
nervous young woman who tries to win
Ev's approval. All in, all, this clever
comedy leaves the audience breathless
with laughter.
In the evolution of plays, The Nut-
talls is a newly -formed star. Michael
Healey came to Blyth at the end of the
2008 season to see Courting Johanna,- a
play that starred both Catherine Fitch
and Gil Garratt. He was not only en-
chanted by the on-stage chemistry be-
tween these two talented actors, he was
also impressed by the director and stage
crew and by the Blyth Festival audience
as well. Artistic • Director Eric Coates
challenged Healey to. write something
for Fitch and Garratt.
."The next day after. Johanna, on my
drive back to Toronto, I came up with
an idea," Healey said. This was barely
one year ago. Yet The Nuttalls opened
in Blyth with flawless professionalism,
impeccable timing and delivery, and
with every joke hitting the mark. Hea-
ley, who started out acting before he be-
gan his career as a playwright in 19°.),
said, "As an actor, when you deliver a
joke night after night that doesn't work,
you become interested in polishing the
The Nuttalls
•Blyth Fesdval
•August 5 - September S, 2009
From the Governor General's Award winning
playwright Michael Healey, who brought us
The Drawer Boy: A mother and her grown
son live together on the shores of Lake Huron
in utter domestic'discord. Despite the fact
that they loathe each other, he and she
seem destined to share a life of hysterical
conflict. Just to make things more interest-
ing, both are compulsive liars and will do
or say anything to keep the upper hand. As
things reach a fever pitch, we learn that he
ha3 staged the mother of all Iles to win his
freedom. Or is it truth? Consistently brilliant
in its originality, and quirky humor, Michael
Healey's work has earned him a reputation
as one of Canada's greatest playwrights.
writing. Every writer should act first."
The wisdom behind his words is appar-
ent. Every joke in The Nuttalls works.
An accomplishment, yes, but hardly
surprising from a playwright who has
won four Toronto Theatre Awards, a
Chalmers Canadian Playwriting Award,
and the Governor General's Literary
Award for The Drawer Boy. In The Nut-
talls, Healey's comic genius illuminates
his newest star.
Under the guidance of gifted director
Kate Lynch and her production crew,
Healey said that the opening perfor-
mance of The Nuttalls was "A real thrill
to watch. I've known for some time that
all elements were there to come togeth-
er. It was great to see it" As one per-
son in a very appreciative opening night
crowd; I echo Healey's words: The Nut-
talls is a thrill to watch—a `don't -miss -
it' comedy.
-Reviewed by Sandi Plewis, Bayfield,
Ontario.
•
Photo submitted
Ev (Catherine Fitch) and Ec (Gil Garrat) Nuttalls are the focus of playwright Michael
Healey's comedy
set on the shores of
Lake Huron.
Probus Club of Goderich
and District
will hold their first fall meeting on
Tuesday, September 1
at Goderich Legion at 10 a.m.
Guest Janet speaker will be Snider, Toronto
author and publisher who recently moved
to Bayfield and is current chair of the
Chamber of Commerce. Her topic will be
"Enlivening Canadian History".
Lunch will be at the Candlelight Restaurant
AFFORDABIF, PIROPIIINONAL HAIRCARE. 4111ARAN UID.1
• Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9-9 Sat. 9-6
HWY#8, HURON ROAD 524-1673
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On Stage Now
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Starring pirected by
Director Eric Coates, .
Willes Potter
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Photo by Terry Manzo
5 1 9 523-9300/ www.blythfestival.com