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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1987-07-29, Page 20Page 20-CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 1987 BUSH FIRE A challenging mystery story By Anne Narejko BLYTH - Mystery lovers take note: The Blyth Festival's Bush Fire is for you. From start to finish, playwrite Laurie Fyffe unravels a plot by way of flashbacks - a difficult, yet if done properly - most effec- tive way to act out a play. And effective it is. Tinting, voice changes and positioning combined to make Bush Fire an interesting piece of art. Hats off to each of the nine actors and ac- tresses who had the timing down pat, especially Karen Barker who starred as Abigail Richardson It was through Abigail's flashbacks and struggle with the future that the audience saw the plot. As she remembers back 10 years, with the help of letters written by her mother, Abigail relives what was first thought to be an accidental fire but later found to be murder. Playing both the parts of a young girl, con- fused by the entire situation, and a new mother 10 years later, married to the son of the murderer, Barker is forced to bring the play from the past to the present and then from the present back to the past. This is no easy task when you don't have the use of trick photography, but her fading voice and excellent timing of her co-workers pulls it off splendidly. Perhaps one of the more "colorful" characters in the play has to be Agnes Tullis, played by Lorna Wilson. Agnes, looked upon mainly as a joke by the rest of the Town of Perth, may be a busy- body who delves into magic a touch too much, but she does have a lot of smarts. Don't under estimate the knowledge of this woman. As for Wilson's performance, the word great quickly comes to mind. Playing a loud, pushy old woman would not be too dif- ficult for a polished actress, but the extra gestures, slow yet methodical movements give the character something special. In fear of giving too much of the plot away, we'll briefly mention the other characters. First there's Arm Easby, played by Mar- tha Irving. This mother of four has a tar- nished reputation in town, yet has befriend- ed Abigail and her mother Constance Richardson, played by Laurel Paetz. Paetz puts on a strong performance, runn- ing the gamut of emotions. Wayne Nicklas plays a very unlikeable character in Clarence Caldwell. Caldwell is the owner of the general store and never took a liking to Mrs. Easby, or for that mat- ter, too many of his other customers. Then there's William Matheson who is played by Neil Foster. Foster does a good job of portraying the local coroner's pain and guilt, not only through his words, but the expressions on his face Matheson and Abigail's father, Andrew Richardson played by Peter Smith, are close friends. If you were to compare Bush Fire to the former television series Little House On The Prairie, Richardson could he compared to Charles Ingles - a man who believes in God, hard work and family. Smith plays the husband of his real life wife. Laurel Paetz, and is forced to run the gamut of emotions as well. His character is usually quite calm, but circumstances anger him to the point of shouting and stor- ming out of the home. The rharacter of Martin H. Balderson cannot go without mention. Martin wants to marry Abigail, because "who else is there." Played by Greg Spottiswood, his youthful looks and boyish mannerisms make the character very real and add a hit of comedy to the mystery One character that you don't know whether to like or dislike is lawyer Mathew Haggart, played by David Marr. Marr had the task of questioning witnesses and sear- ching for justice - a rather dry role. Director Jackie Maxwell did a superb job and, as usual. the set design was well done. Taking care of that task was Jules Tonus. And of course. you can't go hack to the early 1800s without the appropriate clothing. This was handled more than adequately by Kerry Hackett. In Bush Fire lighting played a major role and Harry Frehner didn't let the performers down, neither did stage manager Dawn Brennan. If you want to go to a play which you can sit back and turn your brain off for, Bush Firewill he a disappointment. However. if you like a little challenge with your enter- tainment. you'll find just about all you can handle trying to solve this mystery. Lorna Wilson, left, and Karen Barker, helped make Bush Fire a suspense filled play. The play opened at the Blyth Festival on July 21. (James Hockings photo) BUSH FIRE Intriguing tale makes for playwright 1 2 th ANNIVERSARY The children of JOHN & KATHLEEN SIERTSEMA invite friends and relatives to attend on OPEN HOUSE in honour of their parents 25th Anniversary at BRUCEFIELD HURON CENTENNIAL SCH: OL SUNDAY, AUGUST 2 from 2-4:30 p.m. Beat Wishes Only 's Blyth debut By Shelley McPhee Haist BLYTH - One cannot help but be caught up in the fascinating story behind Bush Fire - the newest play to premier at the Blyth Festival. Rush Fire, by Laurie Fyffe tells the story of Lanark County's grisly murder in 1828 when 'Phomas Easby killed his pregant wife and four of his children. The cabin fire was first thought to be an accident, several mon- ths later Easby was found guilty of murder in a sensational trial. On August 24, 1929, the man who said he was directed by evil forces to commit the heinous crime, was publicly hanged. Bush Fire tells of this Scottish man, and the hard pioneer life he led in the backwoods of Lanark County. It tells of his wife Anna, the four children who died, and the one son who escaped the terror of his father's murderous act. Bush Fire focuses on the community of people who were effected by the grisly murder. It looks at a young girl who comes to love the boy who escaped the fire. The play looks at the system of justice, of socie- ty, and religion in the early part of the 1800s. Her, play was chosen from some 200 scripts to be considered by the Blyth Festival. "To be chosen for Blyth is a good ac- complishment, It's a good start," she says. The actress turned playwright has been involved in a long process of development that has come to its culmination with the staging of Bush Fire. More than two years in the writing, the original script for the play has been reworked and fine tuned to create a topnotch piece of material that is worthy of the Blyth stage. Laurie says she was intrigued with the process that saw directors, actors and herself working on the original script and the molding of the final draft of the play. "This workshop process clarifies the play, the plot, and the characters. It strengthens the play even when scenes are axed. "1 don't mind making cuts. You can't fall in love with one scene if it needs to be cut for the good of the play." The story behind Bush Fire is an intrigu- ing, if not a gruesome tale. The murder of the Eas'by family in 1828 was described as one of the "most cold blooded and diabolical deeds in the history of Lanark County." Laurie emphasizes that her play does not focus on the violent aspects of the event. The audience is made aware of the murders, of the hanging. and of the fact that after Easby's execution. his body was skinned, the skin tanned and cut into small squares which were sold to the public. bringing as much as two dollars. The playwright does not want lasting im- pressions on this play to be based on the gore and the violence of the events. Instead, her main focus is on the people. She asks her audience to discover who Thomas Easby really was? Why did he com- mit the crimes? And what of his wife Anna and the hard life she must have led in the bush? What of the people in the community and the effects the crimes had on their lives? What of the justice system and capital punishment? Laurie explains, "History books don't give you what people were feeling...The story was a launching point for my own embelishment and interpretations." A history buff, Laurie first learned of the Easby story after visiting the Perth library. SNe was seeking material that could be worked into a play. The Easby story caught her imagination. "I've always been interested in history. I wanted to find a big event, but I wanted to look at the people behind it." Research has taken her to the site of Easby farm, to Ottawa to study in the ar- chives. As part of her work on the play Laurie has talked to local people in Lanark County, she has read numerous books about the area as well as books that focus on early pioneer life in Canada. She has visited the Black Creek Pioneer Village to learn more about the day-to-day life some 150 years ago. "The time and era were so rich that more characters kept jumping off the page." Bush Fire includes a cast of nine. Characters in the play are created to repre- sent different aspects of the bush life, the pioneer spirit and life as it must have been in the old country. The log cabin setting for Bush Fire has been painstakingly recreated in an effort to look as authentica as possible. Costumes closely reflect the times. Laurie particular- ly likes the bonnets and the bodices that the women wear, "They effect how you move, how you act on stage." A part of Laurie wishes she were on stage with the other actors. But her notions are fleeting, for this actress turned playwright is presently absorbed in the process of creating scripts. of making words, imagina- tion and history come to life. "Acting has its own special terror," she noted, "but being a playwright has its own terror too." "I'm anxious to dive into another play. I'm going to do some reading and some research. 1 need to let something cook for awhile." With such as positive and en- thusiastic beginning as a playwright, there is no doubt that Laurie Fyffe's name will be seen and heard in Canada theatre in the future. FRIDAY NIGHT BUFFET Served from 5 p.ns 7 p.m Every Friday Night FoaturIng hasten Food spaghattr, lasagna. pasta dishes, fun salol bar $L.6795 Adults • en. FAMILY BRUNCH SERVED EVERY SUNDAY 10 AM - 2 PM Includos several salads, fruits. hot dishes. dwssorts All you can oat. SUNDAY BUFFET SERVED EVERY WEEK 4 PM - 7:30 PM FULL MENU WITH DAILY SPECIALS including full salad Isar FRESH FISH DAILY WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT THIS FRIDAY .0. SATURDAY JULY 31 - AUGUST 1 Johnny Weber,, OUR OUTDOOR PATIO IS NOW OPEN! OPEN 7 days a week 11:30 eras • 1 area ewrcept Sunday open 10 ans - 7:30 pew HIGHWAY 21 BAYFIELD 565-2992 Coming Evnts LIVE ENTERTAINMENT Thursday to Sunday from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Licensed outdoor patio overlook• ing the Boyfield Marina. At the Harbour Lights Restaurant, Hwy No. 21. Bayfield. 565-2554. 2833 TEDDY BEAR'S PICNIC, Sunday, August 9. 1 to 4 p.m., at the Falls Reserve Conservation Area. Free day use admission for this event. For further information contact the Maitland Valley Conser- vation Authority at 3353557 30.31 BLYTH FESTIVAL. Girls in the Gang, July 29. 30 (matinee), August 6. 8 (matinee). Bordertown Cafe, 30. 31. Bush Fire, August 1 (matinee), 5 6 (matinee), 8. Miss Blamorol of the Bayview. all performances of this play are SOLD OUT however, a limited number of rush lets go on sale 2 hours before curtain time. Al perfor• mantes are at 8:30 p.m. except motine s which are at 2 p.m. For tickets. call Box ffice at 523.9300 9225. 30ar "CORPSE!", a comedy thriller by Gerald Moon directed by Steven Schipper, August 4 to August 15. Main Stage at Huron Country Playhouse at 8:30 p.m., Matinees Wednesdays Thursdays 2.30 p.m. Call (519) 238-8451. 30ar BUS TRIP to African Lion Safari with Clinton Playground, July 30, $12 per person. Bus leaves at 7 a.m. from the arena. 30ar LOBSTER and steakfest, August 1. 4-7 p.M. at Harbour Pork, Goderich. Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. 30x BOOK SALE at the Clinton Library at 10 a.m. on July 30. Bargains for everybody. ---29,30 HURON COUNTY Cattlemen's Association Beef Barbecue and Dance, Friday, July 31, BMG Com- munity Centre, Brussels. Barbecue 6 to 8 p.m., dancing 9 to 1. Music by Beechwood. Tickets $10 per person. available from local directors, 29,30 ROAST BEEF buffet every Sunday. 4 30 to 7 p.rn Blyth Inn, 523-9381. 30.31ar YOU ARE INVITED to the Jock Riddell Barbeque at the Riddell farm on Hwy. 83 between Exeter and Dashwood on Wednesday August 5th. Rain location is the Dashwood Community Centre Dinner from 5.8 p.m., family entertainment Tickets available from Liberal Municipal Chairpersons or Executive or phone 357 1802 482.3407. 887.9225. 235-2853. 236. 4280. Tickets 510.00. elementary school children 54.00 pre schoolers free. Sponsored by the Huron Proven tial Liberal Association. 29.30ar BINGO . Vanastra Rec. Centre, Tuesdays, 8 p.m. Fivst regular card $1„ 15 regular. $20 games, 3 share -the -wealth. Jackpot $220, must go. Lucky Ball $200 (if not won) Lucky Ball increases $10 per week. Admission restricted to 16 years and over. tfor CATERING • for complete satisfaction. let us cater your next special occasion. Variety meal plans. Captain's Cove Family Restaurant Boyfield 565.2992. l0tfar BAYFIELD LIONS and LIONESS CLUB Bingo every Friday. Bayfield Community Centre. Door open 6 30 p.m. F.c.rly Bird 7;45 Jackpot.--24tfar COFFEEBREAK Enloy coffee fellowship and in formal Bible 'Study. Babysitting storyhour pia gram included. September 17 9 45 11 u m Clinton Christian Reformed Church Princess Si 30-33x BUSH FIRE by Laurie Fyffe A tale ofmystery. love & hate .set in Canadas pioneer past July 21 - August 21 ('.til Ilii Rllth Fc.ti1i1.11 In11 nlfu r' for tic'krt' and nthitm,unnl 523-9300/9225 p0000ieO000oi00voo00000 BROWNIE'S DRIVE-IN e 1111 WARNING: Brutal Violence T.B.O. 169 BEECH ST., CLINTON 482.7030 OPEN AT 8:30 P.M. - FIRST SHOW AT DUSK THIS WEEKEND: FRI.-SAT.-SUN., JULY 31, AUGUST 1-2 - BOUGH I, FH EY WOULDN'T BE BRI BED. • /p. 4fp2 DEAD BY DAWN 11 1 Guess who's playing doctor? [I LE UTOUCWBLFS PlRINDU1111C1UALSPRIi1SIS.t %RI LIMON P1101:111010% IARI1%DI?MA 11114 111111110UCU11111S KIM COlOOIR CtI. RU MIR1IISMITIF CND)G0RCII ROAFRf1 1111On1l.•o • •srwlars'o (DM:1W ACCOMPANIMENT • Richard Pryut is In Critical Condition ADDED 3rd FEATURE SUNDAY AUG. 2 ONLY WARNING: Violence, Horror T.B.V. PARTY WITH DOUG & THE SLUGS BUSTIN LOOSE Friday, July 31st ... 8 p.m. e 1 a.m. at Seaforth 8 District Community Centre Tickets: $0.00 Advance and '10.00 At Door Tickets Available At Seaforth Arena Age of Majority Absolutely No Minors * Proceeds to Junior Curling Specially for Clinton's THRIFTY FIFTIES DAZE THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY ONLY JULY 29 - 30 ^ AUGUST 1 COFFEE ear efnelll SOFT DRINK 5� with your puehose of any DINNER Small FRENCH FRIES 50P with your purchase of a CHICKEN FILET BURGER Dixie Lee Chicktan & Seafood 4 . ' c.:.. ,..,....s.a«..-e 4 24 3'`yVl'folj"�iT' 33t0e$3'S� L$Nl swrrriisr'sw�tesrwrsr..