HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1966-05-05, Page 6l Goderieh Sispial-Star, TImn-F4 31, May d, 1900
The Blue Thum
By G. MacLEOD Rc'SS
frw COMFOR"l"A�L 1t DE. e1eotorate°to continue to
Aril -is a good time of •the
mar to take a ride, seek a warm -
4r<' Clime and note how the other
parts• if
Use continent havee far-
„Vti
since last seen.
Although we had been kindly
• provided will, a copy of "Travel-
ling with Charlie,” We decided
we would nark it alone and that
fro weuld be far better off at
home, in his own bed, surround-
ed by all has toys and the sights,
sounds and smells to which he
was accustomed. -
We were of'F an a enol sunny
day along the same old route
to„Niagara and the annual photo-
graph, of the falls. This year
the light was good, no . mist,
the , feature being some huge
footstools of ice comfortably
placed at the toes of the Can-
adian Falls.
Next moaning found a Boston-
ian, with a huge station wagon
and a U -Haul trailer' drawn up
alongside us.
It soon became clear that he
was as exponent of the theory
of "Cheaper by the Dozen,” for
not content with myriads of l
children, a huge Alsatian slept in
the wagon. When his master;
dxele.ased him. he asked to join
us, it being explained that he'
just loved ears.
The day was not enhanced by,
the publication of the budget
and several ries whirled away
while we debated how much
longer the contemporary politic-
ian could ensure his $18,000' p.a.
simply by asking, with nauseat-
ing frequency, how he • could
continue to refuse- the pressure
spend money.
Proceedings ,south we were
soon engulfed in ene . wooded
galley: climbing by. winds and
bends' to the watershed, then
descending the side slope of
yet another; passing "Falling
Rock" signs along the friable
red shale, only to encounter an
open meadow where the an-
achronistic sign read: "Deer
Crossing." ' " •
It might just as well have
read "Dinosaur Crossing" for.
all -the likelihood of deer ven-
turirrg"on to that well travelled
highway.
What became more and more
noticeable was that the Ameri-
can spewed limit etas invariably
10 m.p.h. slower than those pre-
scribed by on,tario for equival-
ent highiS4_41nsclitions. Thus
we clirnbe.!'ie misty Gettysburg,
one of the larger and more fre-
quented 'burial grounds which
serve to keep green the mem-
ory of a civil war which never
ought tb have been.
Travelling talk today centred
on that • "illusionist without
ideals" • as Harold Wilson has
been called, and his access to a
werkir(g majority in Britain. A
contest remarkable for the ab-
sence of Opposition leadership
as well as fpr Wilson's cagey
strategy of suppressing any hint
of hi, intentions.
Someone had remarked that'
England used to be between the
devil and the deep blue sea.
Now it was between the Devil
and the T.0:C. (The Trades Un-
ion Congress.)
A MUSICAL TREAT
SPRINGFESTIVAL
OF MUSIC
Consisting if `Sacred, Secular and Show Tunes
rno
4
Featuring
The HA BOURAIRES
y11.lt Male Chorus From Goderich
and
T -A. CHORISTERS
All Female Chorus From Exeter
Concert Starts At 8:15 p.m,
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11
Admission:
Adults 75 Cents - Children 35 Cents
North 'Street United Church Hall
Tickets Available From North Street' Junior 'Choir
Members or Cafl 524-8404
"Anarchy On Wheels
A quick in and out manoeuvre
at Washingt-n, tad' eralys for
chem!. blossom, enabled us to
pick up our "Washington cors`
respondent," who took over the
wheel and • drove us by leaps
and beurezds still further south.
In the Capital itself the auto-
mobile industry we's putting on
what must rar`k as their ineptest
performance before. a Senate
Committee, aided : and abetted
by such Johnsonian hyperbole
as: "We can no longer tolerate
such anarchy on wheels.'.'
Why that industry could :not
"steno • from under" and insist
on the fallibility of the driver
inspite of the sophisticl,d pro-
ducts he was given, will never
be clear. However, it was at
this precise juncture that we
experienced and April First "un-
gluck."
Rocky Mount N.C. had so
many motels we had not both-
ered to book, but as a result of
one of those unpredictable
spasms which hit the oddest
placer. we found everywhere
t was only then that it dan-
ed on us tnat Mother Bell, with
her 'rWX system of intercom
has nowadays made it :so easy
to book ahead that everyone
does so.
Gone is -the carefree drive to
the hostelry os your choice; the
relaxed acce•ptanee of mine
Host's protestation of undying
and everlasting service; the
ows, the scrapes, which only
the honored. guest receives .All
this suddenly erased, while sub-
stituted is the glaze of the fish-
_ eye, only matched by the neon's
gleaming "No Vacancy."
• But, even sr, la siolitesse
weakly-shorre -thrmrglr aird-w-
were directed nine miles on, to
a shelter with the euphonious
.name of Bri ht Leaf which we
left bright and early next morn-
ing, for it proved to -be one of
those rapidly fading rest houses
where. few of -the electrics work
and you have ,to spend a busy.
half hour with screwdriver and
insplating tape to be able' to
read in bed.
The .taps all leak; 'the towels
will not cover a new born babe;
the heat is controlled from the;
next county and the acme` of
'elegance is a "personalized"
paper bath mat.
The "Propr:", one of • those
genial maniacs, who becomes
engulfed in laughter when you
report on the chaos of your.
xoom.; •-So retne berl -Today
you book ahead.
Ambushed By Patriots
This cifj we. saw the first
Spanish moss trailing in the
breeze; same early' azaleas; red -
bud at ,its best and dogwood
gracing every- garden. This is
tobacco growifig and selling
country, which means that you
' cannot buy „"Edgworth" for love
or money.
•
No one has even heard of it,
yet, Goldsboro, N.C, claims to -
IiItIe
Theatre
By ,Mike Cowley
Goderich Little Theatre dir-
ector Adrian Swanton must have
a bug about" hro bills.
This was the only Conclusion
I could draw when his "experi-
mental„ lighting effects" left
both piayen5' and—atailie se.
floundering in the dark.
For reasons known only to
himself, Mr. Swanton felt that
"Blithe Spirit," a three -act com-
edy, should - be played partially
in a pseudo war -time black-
out. o
Director
Unfortunately, this was not
the only way he left the, audi-
ence in the dark on Saturday
nigh,t.,°
His charter identification must
be faulted in the fact the roles
were giveli d rth.
n most vasa depth of y char-
aeteriaation, would be consider-
ed an integral part of a pro,
duction.
This is not the case, in this
comedy from the `pen of play-
wright Noel Coward. '
Coward's works can only be
tido ' buyers come 'here'
from Salisbury to Saskatchewan,
Because we had time in hand,
we detoured again to Moore's
Creek Battlefield, the scene of
a' -minute-- engagement in 1776,
where a handful pf 11it bland
"loyalists" to George III los:.
the Carolinas to some few "pe
riots" from Wilmington, N.C.
Amongst the Scots were Flora
Macdonald and husband, alm-st
one niight say, fresh from the
carnage of Cuiloden and all the
aftermat:h of the "Forty Five."
Today, -two hundred years
later, you can stand, on the fire -
step of the trenches from which
the Patriots ambushed the -Loy-
alists and look down on the
bridge over the Creek. They
play a 'recora on ,the site and
you hear again the pipes as
the Highlanders march to their
doom, with the most abject dis-
regard for surprise.
Onee more they were to re-
peat the, insensate tactics which
had lost them Culloden; pitting
claymore and target against fire-
arms and cannon.
Mil:'ary usage dies extremely
ht i :illi acrd is took decades be'
•foie the 'War Office relegated
reglsser.'al bands to the base.
Since then the Musicians' Un-
ion has dug such frivolity even
deeper in the slough of despond.
Why, only yesterday the
R.C.M.P. band was refused per-
mission, to make a record for
Expo '67 unless an equal num-
ber of- unionists was paid to
featherbed. An interesting
thought that had the Musicians
only organized a couple of cen-
turies earlier the Carolinas
mightstill be British.
- Next week we shall, explore
Myrtie Beach, which lies in the
middle' of 90 miles of strand.
GODERICH COMMUNITY
CREDIT UNION
Offers You The Following
Services
_-Sliare- Savings= --Current Dividend -4"1/2 %
—Life savings insurance up to $2,000.
for eligible members at no extra cost.
Personal Chequing Accounts_
--4% paid on minimum quarterly, balance
Christmas &Vacation Savings Account
--`These accounts earn. 4M
Low Cost Personal Loans •
• '—All eligible loans pre life insured at no extra cost
Quick Pay Day Loan Service
Rent and Mortgage . Payments Accepted
On Your Behalf ` '
—No handling charges on this service
First Mortgage . Loans
—Life• insured at no extra cost
Keeps
considered a flight from bitter
experienc®- into the realms of
superficial splendour.
'f'he strengthening of the
Characters in his plays only pro-
vides a stumbling bloc's dor the
essential bright, breezy perform-
ande.
On Saturday, the , Goderich
players wrestled between the
light' fantastic and the drab
realistic.
The opening scene was tortu-
ous in its lack of flippancy. Only
towards the end of the first act
did the oast come to terms with
the message, or the- fret that
there• wasn't one,
• Humour' Demonstration
Despite these two major
faults the production can only
b • classc deas rollicking, good
entertainmentfor ticket "hold-
ers.
After the slow start, the oast
settler) down to demonstrate
humour rarely bettered ori the
local stage.;
Kathy Jenkins shone as Mad-
ame Arcati even though her.
machine-gun diction- tended to
perforate ear drums • by sheer
velocity:
Her posture, delivery and tim-
ing made the seances (the parts
we could see) a hilarious carte..
blanche for the absurd.
The director should have
"‘cros +ed her palm with silver"
Audience"In -Dark"
for picking up the threads as
the play occasionally frayed at
the edges,
Frank Bisset as Charles Con.
domine was smooth, sophisticat-
ed and, at .times, almost superb:
His main fault lay in the may
he occasionally gambled his lines
to keep the pace, On these
occasions he sounded like a
Irian having trouble with his
dentin es.
Gail Sully, as Elvira, remind-
ed me constantly .of Agnes
Moorhead playing Samantha's
mother.
She bubblede.aetossthe stage
and- looked far more than the
,suggested "colonic irritation."
Her make-up and hairstyle
were visual rastenpieces but the
over-all effects were sometimes
lost with 'her attempts to bal-
ance on.; one leg.
Wifely Irritation
Nora Profit as Ruth was de-
lightfully amusing after a shaky
start. Her diction, despite her
accent (that's the English, in
me) was close to perfection.
Her demonstration of wifely
irritation made one tremble at
iits potential power over a real-
life h .isband.
Jennie Track, a Clinton im-
port, was personable and effic-
ient in her part as Mrs. Brad-
nian. .
Arthur Currie, who played
Dr. i3radman was singularly un•
inspir'ng playing a role in which
he seemed ill -at -ease.
Pat Simpson worried 'me as
the maid during her first ap-
pearances. , Her en'trnandes were
in .exaggerated she/was a walla
ingacclamation
of
Qday s sere=
ant problem.
After She had "slowed down,"
however, she turned in a warm:
relaxed d e
rfnrrman e
Dorothy McCarthy, who was
in charge of special effects,
must ue congratulated on pro-
viding the play with an ending
which, by Little Theatre stand-
ards, was a theatrical Master-
piece
Footnote: As this is my final
play c:rit, 1 feel I must extend
my personal appreciation fox
what GLT isstloing for ,Goderich.
Here is one group which has
succe:•sfully given local resid-
ents a cultural shot in the arm.
Despite my sometimes critical
observations, 1 feel local resid-
ents should oisider themselves
fortunate to have such first-
class productions presented "at
home."
this, group is one which is
big enough to take constructive
criticism with the realization
that certain external observa-
tions may assist thein in their
approach to future prsductions.
15 a parting ohort, I can orb
urge thein to maintain their
present high standard and re-
quest local residents to give
them maximum support.
"00/D( /VW
leAlarVP/0
KIWV00
;1q19
4,i9m9-y
McArthur & Reilly
West St.
NOTFOR PROFIT —
— • BUT FOR- SERVICE
GODERICH COMMUNITY
CREDIT UNION
39 St. David •St. Phone 524-7931
OFFICE HOURS .:
Tues. - Fri. 10:00 - 5:30
Saturday 9:00 - 12:30
In the next three years, one half
of the population in our area will
use. the .services of the Alexandra
Marine & General Hospital.. ' It
might even be you. •
You turn toyour hospital when
dangerously hurt or r desperately
'ACE You expect, and rightfully,
that the best tr' eatment will be
available to you. Our hospitalization
and medical plans pay your hospital
for care of insured persons. These
are operating costs only and capital
expenditures (such as new build-
ings) are not included. Governments:
-do - make' grants toward construc-
tion, but only when the balance of
required funds are pledged by other
sources. Government grants amount.
to only 45% of the cost of the new
additions to the Alexandra" Marine
& General Hospital. -This means
that the balance m st come from r11
of us at the com y' . level. In
other words, our hospitalization and
medical plans are •not much good to
us if we do not have a good modern.
----
When - your hospital is "com-
pleted late this year, it will be as
modern and as well equipped as any
hospital in Ontario.
We must get -our- quota of
$109,214.00.
Medical research is inventing
many new ways to make us healthier
and longer lived. We are trying to
go . over the top to have sufficient
funds available to reduce the loan
of $190,000.00 from the Ontario
Hospital Services ,Commission and
thereby be in a position :to buy any
new equipment that might become
desirable. ' -
As to what is happening—
Our friends in the rural commun-
ity are beginning to send Lin their
donations -they are doing well.
° The local businessmen started
on 'Thursday and their first \returns
are encouraging. • '
A meeting, of 50 canvassers to
cover special groups is scheduled
for this Wednesday night.
• Donations from former resi-
dents. are still coming in.
We still 'hope to call on every
° one by the end of this month or early
in June. •
Remember that over 95% of the
cost of hospital services is paid to
'the Alexandra Marine & General
Hcspital by some hospitalization or
medical plan. Welcome-- the canvas,
and be as generous as you 'can
Once, without a modern hospital,
your health is not fully protected.
This• advertisement is the third
in a series that is designed t, keep
you informed. If youneed any in-
fori:lation, please call the fund-
raising headquarters in the Federal
Building—phone 524-7641.. '
There's still plenty of time for i'ou to collect
matching bills. In fact, y p:i could, win a trip
overseas, $5009$100, $50, $10 or $2 the next
time you drive in to a White Rose or Shell
'station. Offer expires June 41lr, 1966.
Alexandra Marine and General Hospital Building Fund
Federal Building, Goderic i, Ontario
Brought to you by Shell Canada* Limited and its
,White Rose and Shell dealers from coast to coast.
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