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Home My WebLink AboutTimes-Advocate, 1988-07-13, Page 8Page 8 Times -Advocate, July 13, 1988 Wingfield's Progress' sensational theatre By Yvonne 'Reynolds Exceptional Deilghtf ul. Sear performance. Superb entertain- mcnt. Superlatives arc necessary to de- scribe Wingfield's Progress, which Opened the Playhou.sc '11 season at lluron.Country Wayhousc on July 6. . ' Rod Beattie is back at the Play- house .alter creating the theatrical sensation -of the 196 season in the original,Letters From Wing- field Forma. series of witty mis- sivcs scnt.by stock broker -turned - gentleman -farmer Walt Wingfield to the editor of the Larkspur paper.- --Beattie's phenomenal acting tal- ents once again brings to life the writing _ genius of Dan Needles; whose original letters written under the pen name Walt Wingfield while Needles was editor of a newspaper in. Shelburne; Oni., won the Ontario \Vicekly Newspa- per Association's Best Column award in 1976. In this sequel, the residents of RR) Larkspur in Persephone township rally their forces to sty- mie a Toronto lawyer who wants to establish luxury condominiums- in ondominiumsin their rural midst,and curtail some of their farming practices. Wingfield's dealings with the township council, who arc all for the broader tax -base thc.devclop- mcnt would bring, initially con- siders running for council himself tot thwart the big -city entrepreneur. i le is dissuaded by his friends and neighbours. One points out that "people only run for council when. they run out of stupid things to do on their own place, and you have a long way to .go; you've only scratched the surface", The account of the final batik plan, put. into action using ani- mals, manure spreaders and a threshing-machinc the day Darcy Dixon invites 75 of the most in- fluential real estate agents in the city to cone out to view the model' suite, is good for about 10 eye, • wiping minutes. of. continual laughter. Beattie turns in an amazing per- formance. For two hours, with a 15-millute intcrinission, he 'is alone on stage, portraying an entire community of people with a change of expression, a change of hat, a different speech pattern; or an identifying mannerism, Through Beattic's brilliance, you can sce \1'ingticld winching Freddie up to the barn roof on a hay hook to repair the damage from a pigeon shoot, or Wingfield and Don the dairy farmer waiting` in the hen- house for the return of a weasel, or a typical -session of a rural council digressing to discuss whose grand- daddy built the first bank barn, or broke the first sod ;on the disputed property.. - The country humour is as abun -dant as blossoms in a clover field. Such gems of observations as •"You look like tyou'vc been rode hard -and put away hot", or "he's so narrow he could walk through the strings of a harp without striking a •note" and "he doesn't dress -like no- bility, but he has the same work schedule" are a few exarnplcs of the thread of wit woven throughout this presentation. • Wingfield's affection aad loyalty arc firmly on. the side of his farmer friends. This is shown explicitly in the way he handles the news of the sudden death of a close friend. The two hours pass too quickly, and arc over too soon, The audience files out happily, knowing country has successfully ma-tchcd - wits STAR - Rod Beattie, star of the.one-man show Wingfield's Progress cur- rently at Playhouse II in Grand Bend, talks after his superb opening night performance with Vicki Mann, PR and marketing director at Huron Country Playhouse, and Bruce Woodley, chairman of the Playhouse board of direc- tors. Pick Your Own Red and Purple Raspberries . $2.25 a quart Black Currants - $3.00 a quart Red Currants $1.00 a quart Irrigated & Plentiful, Containers provided ARROWOOD FARM •4 roads south of Melborne, on County Road 9, turn right, go 1/2 mile. Open 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Mon. - Fri. 8 -6 Saturday 'Closed Sunday 1-289-2403 Granton by Mrs. E. Summers GRANTON - At the United Church Rey. -Bruce Pearce was in charge of the morning worship, and entitled his sermon "Enoch initiated Before God". The S unday School Id ren played games thiring the service. ' Flowers were place , one church on Sunday in nceritory of the late Mrs. l lcnrictta Carson. Siliccrc sympathy is extended to the fancily of late..Mrs. Alvin Car- son. (I lenrictta). TAKE ALF HOME 1 `mak Th c pan you've been waiting for has arrived Get your's today FERGUSON APIARIES We're located on HWY. 84 BETWEEN HENSALL AND ZURICH 236-4979 against city, and the community of Larkspur will retain the "serenity and majesty of a Mayan runt". Rod Beattie Just one word of advice: dress cool and bring a fan; Playhouse 11 is not airconditioned. Bcattic's acting ability and Needles writing skills arc a.scren- dipitous combination. .The two have known each other since child- hood. Dougall's Berry Farm now taking orders for Raspberries or pick your own by appointment only. 235-1491 All the. characters portrayed h' Beattie are .based on -real The actor was taken by the author. to meet some of than, hear .them' talk, and catch their individual traits. Beattiesaid he Was rather 'cinbarrassed, but .his subjects were proud to. be choe.en as models for such a theatrical tour do force. Beattie, a part of the Stratford Festival for eight years, concen. crates now on the Wingfield epis- tics. - "1 lo\:e this show. I really Is•lieve `in it. It's the most fun I'v�c had on stage. in a long time", Beattie said after the opening night performance. lIc will be taking It'in'%ield'A Progress.across Canada within the next 12 months.. '1'he current play is booked. into the Grand Theatre in - London'ncxt spring. The show is proxiuccd by Bcauie's brother Douglas. • • Nccdlcs and Bcattic • have promised one more chapter to round out the• trilogy. !fit is half as good.as the first two, theatre goers can kook for- ward to yet another treat from RR I Larkspur. Sweet Cherries Starting July 4 • Montmorency Red - Starting Sat., July 9 • Pails of Pitted Cherries Orders taken now - ready middle of July • Pick your own or ready picked Pitting machine available for your convenience 828-3100 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK ROCK GLEN FARM MARKET Arkono, Ontario Darlene Millar, R.M.T. 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