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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1989-08-02, Page 6Page 6 Times -Advocate, August 2, 1989 The Dreamland - Scott Fisher (left), Jerry Cassidy, Robert Winslow and David Fraser sing to bathing beauty Ann Bagley in a scene from the superb musical highlighting this year's Blyth Festival. Neil Simon comedy at Playhouse GRAND BEND - "Red Hot Sim- on" was the description that several critics independentlyhit on in refer- ring to- Neil Simon when, at the end of 1969 his ninth big hit in a row opened on Broadway, The Last of the Red Hot Lovers. This "hot hit" by The talented Neil Simon runs at Huron Country Playhouse, on the mainstage, from August 1 to August 12.The Last of the Red Hot Lovers is about a mild man who yearns for one big fling in his mid- dle-aged, tranquil and faithful mar- ried life. Forthcoming marriage - Shar- on Adele Thiel and Mark Wil- liam E. Taylor together with their parents, Gerald and Diane Thiel, Zurich, and 811! and He- len Taylor, Varna, wish to an- nounce their forthcoming marri- age on August 5, 1989 at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Zu- rich, Ont. Open reception to fol- low, Varna. Guy Sanvido plays the 47 year old Barney Casman, who has been married 23 faithful years, prior to which he had only one premarital sexual experience consisting of a 15 minute professional engagement with a 44 year old tart in Newark. Now, at 47 Barney has heard about sex and freedom and feels that life is passing him by and that death is relentlessly creeping up on him. Barney decides that in the mo- ral climate of his time he is obliged to undertake, a foray into adultery. Barney 's battle to join the sexual revolution unfolds in three disas- trous and unavailing acts. He is too descent a fellow to be a Don Juan, no matter how hard he tries. His first mistake is to invite his three partners in sin to meet him in the neat and respectable apartment of his mother on afternoons when he is away. The atmosphere is ridic- ulously unsuitable, and his air of a little boy's sneaking into naughti- ness while mama's away is in- creased by a tight. schedule: Mother is due home at five o'clock. Barney keeps adding other mis- takes of strategy and tactics with the three willing ladies who have accepted his invitations to Mama's apartment on various Friday after- noons. His first attempt is with a regular patron of his restaurant with a pas- sion for fish and husbands other than her own. She smokes, she drinks, she uses four-letter euphe- misms for four-letter words with a tough abandon. The tough seafood liver, whose cynicism and hardness conflicts with Barney's sense on delicacy and romance, is played by Marsha Nicols. Shelley Hoffman will play Bobbi Michele, who plays another poor Visscher Farms Country Market Open 9 - 6 daily, Closed Sundays Now harvesting Fresh Broccoli, cauliflower cabbage, potatoes, Sweet Corn Also fresh fruits and vegetables in season Baked goods, jams, honey, maple syrup and apple butter Special this week -Pecan Pie $3.25 3 miles W. of Exeter on Hwy. 83 Phone .237-3.4.42_.._— candidate for a memorable experi- ence. Bobbi is freaky, spaced out and overwhelms the middle-aged Romeo with her compulsive, non- stop outlandish chatter retailing her past adventures. Barney makes his third and final attempt at sinning with his wifes best friend, Jeanette Fisher. Jenny Turner takes on the role of Jean- ette, who shows more interest in lecturing her host on the sinfulness of the present-day world, and in telling weepily of her own misery in marriage than in anything else. She is so depressing that she al- most offers the wages of sin with- out the actual labour. The Last of the Red Hot Lovers has been called one or Simoh's most human comedies and joins a list of stage successes that include: Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, The Star-Spangled Girl, Califomia Suite, and Biloxi Blues to name a few. The Last of the Red Hot Lovers runs on the mainstage Monday to Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Wednes- day and Thursday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Forthcoming Marriage - Rob- ert Dobson, London is pleased to announce the forthcoming marriage of his daughter, Terri Lee to Peter Lloyd, son of Doug and Norma Parsons of Exeter. The wedding will take place Saturday, August 12, 1989,. at ..4.:004)471. at'tlrr'fxeta United Church. Open reception to fol- low in Exeter. Blyth musical a smash hit By Yvonne Reynolds Dazzling costumes! Great sing- ing! Good music! Spirited danc- ing! Accomplished, enthusiastic performers! Imaginatiye set! Compelling story! Laughter! Nostalgia! Appreciative audience! Superlatives are necessary to de- scribe The Dreamland, the biggest and best musical ever 'staged by the Blyth Festival Theatre. The feast for eyes, ears and emotions has all the elements of a smash hit. New York orIbronto would be hard-pressed to match this show, originating in the little village �f Blyth The Dreamland is also the most expensive production ever staged by the Blyth Festival. The glitter- ing extravaganza uses the largest - ever cast - 32 performers and six musicians. The extended stage juts out over rows A and B, eliminating a few thousand dollars in potential revenue. The show represents the biggest gamble in the history of the Blyth Festival. Raymond Storey and John Roby, the creative team re- sponsible for the words and music ofCountry Hearts and Girls in the Gang, were commissioned by the Centralia by Mrs. Torn Kooy CENTRALIA - Church service next Sunday, August 6 will be a joint service at Centralia United Church a 10 a.m. with everyone welcome. This will be the last service for both Centralia and Zion congrega- tions for the month of August as Rev. Carter will be on holidays. So services will resume along with Sunday School on September 10 at the usual times. Mr.' and Mrs. Brent Caslick and boys spent the weekend with their parents in Cargill. Mrs. Mary Walker and girls spent a few days this past week with her paients Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Sim- mons of Woodstock. Mrs. Roy Harrison has returned home following a lengthy stay in hospital. We wish her a speedy re- covery. With Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Powe for the weekend were Mr. and Mrs. Ron Britain and family of Mark- ham and Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Bran- don and family, Uxbridge. Joining them on Sunday for a family picnic were Mrs. Audrey McGregor and family, Exeter and Mr. and Mrs. Allan Powe and fami- ly. Saintsbury by Mrs. Heber Davis SAINTSBURY - Crystal and Harley Davis spent three days with their grandmother Mrs. Dorothy Dietrich in Dashwood this past week. Mr. and Mrs. Bob Tindall and Marylou were guests Saturday at the Wismer-Douglas wedding and reception in Amherstburg. Crystal Davis was an overnight guest with her cousin Julie Foran, Centralia. I am sorry to report Arnold Cun- ningham is a patient at St. Jo- seph's Hospital,'London and Heath er MacGillivray is at University Hospital. We wish them a full re- covery to good health. Sunday, August 6 the holidays are over and service will resume at 8:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's church. We are sorry to hear Voyle Jor- dan is continuing treatment at Vic- toria Hospital. The best to you Voyle. KAlt/ vosTIORII ICUPOVICIM J onM,D lriui 1titJli OURS . AGMNST CANADA'S #1KILLER. Blyth Festival to collaborate on yet another musical. The Dreamland was workshopped at Blyth last De- cember and again in May. And it has hit the jackpot. The Dream- land is a winner. General manager Joel Harris con- cedes this show is "probably three times 'as costly as any other", but "Cts perfectly the theatre's mandate to portray life in southwestern On- tario". The Dreamland evokes the thirties in cottage country, when Grand Bend, Bayfield and Goderich were among the communities whose Lakeshore dance pavilions at- tracted large crowds every weekend throughout the long, dreamy sum- mers. Many dance halls had their own resident dance bands. The musical centres on a typical "Pay", owned and operated by Rose (Diane Belshaw) and Linden Rus- sell Greg Ellwand). The hard - Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Wilkinson Rita Blatchford (Anderson) and Arthur L. Wilkinson were mar- ried in Comnmunity Rible Church, Granton, on July 15, 1989, with Rev. Darrell Shaule officiating. The bride, daughter of Violet Anderson, London, Ont., was given away by Wil- liam Anderson and Dick Blatch- ford, both of London. Her at- tendants were maid of honour Dianne Felschow, Bright's Grove, and bridesmaids Elaine Mair, London and Linda .Hib- bert, Parkhill. Best man was' Dann McNaughton, Exeter, and ushers were Joe Blatchford and Philip Anderson, both of Lucan. Soloist was Flora Ro- bertson, Lucan. After-a—wed- ding trip to Wallaceburg, the couple are living In Lucan. working Rose is as adept in a sing- ing trio or playing a stringed in- strument as cleaning out the chip fryer. Her singer -songwriter hus- band ma- or may not be showing mare than a friendly interest in one of the summer residents, beautiful Arlenepaly (Melissa Bell), engaged to Loren (Kerry Dorey), the posses- sive, spoiled son of the area's lead- ing socialites, Judge and Mrs. Pack- et. The young man meets an untimely and tragic end one night _as the dancers whirl each other around the floor, and the music drifts out over the lake. The blockbuster opens in the present, with a grandmotherly Rose looking around the dilapidated, long abandoned dance pavilion due to be auctioned off and torn down. Sud- denly the stage is alive with the Dreamland of her youth. While some actors portray present-day ,characters, others portray the same character3 as their decades -younger selves. The tr;:nsitions from present to past are as smooth as the melodic sounds of the big band era. An im- aginative and delightful touch is the black, white and sliver colour motif in costumes and set in the memory scenes. Although everyone in the cast does a superb job, Diana Belshaw in the pivotal role of the older Rose deserves special praise. The sing- ing - and antics - of The Brush Twins (Michelle Fisk and Denise Kennedy), and Patricia Vanstone's portrayal of the young Rose are also outstanding. The Dreamland is well worth the price of admission. As a current jingle says, "You'll get your mon- ey's worth - and more". Kirkton 4-H KIRKTON - Meeting 5 of Kirk - ton's "Lets Landscape" was held at Mary Szabo's on July 24. As the members arrived, a tree and shrub - game was handed out for us to com- plete. We then took a walk around Mary's beautifully landscaped yard for the answers. As the meeting began, we dis- cussed our trip to Klomp's Nur- sery. The information covered was how trees were sold, different soil types, and howto protect and care for trees so they do well for you. Mary served a delicious fresh fruit tray and ice tea, and the meeting was adjourned. Marianne Den Otter. Secretary/Press Reporter w i urifiner. •iron. Tate X (Mor Reuun.,l Filter. *Sales. Sen ice ,'i Renin. CALL: HERMI A . RAMI KEK 482-9948_ YOUR GUIDE TO PROFESSIONAL PERSONAL Unisex Hair Design • Complete Hair Care Service • Open six days a week • Appointments not r'e* *VAt nr SC3ndy 235-0202 1. 'N Kuri HAIR DESIGN Karen Kinsman Family Hairstyling 262-3048 7 James St., Exeter, Ont. 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