HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-07-15, Page 17-e
Love or Money keeps you
BY JOANNE BUCHANAN
Love or Money, (be second Blyth
Festival production of the summer,
doesn't revealany answers to the Ambrose
Small mystery but it does offer enough
possibilities to keep one guessing long
after it is over.
Carol Bolt wrote this ghost story based
on a true account of an Ontario theatre
niaguate who disappeared one wintry
night in December of 1919 never to be seen
again.
There are many theories about the
disappearance. Some say Ambrose Small,
after .selling his theatre chain for
$1,700,000; simply went away to start a new
life, possibly with one of his many
mistresses. One hundred thousand dollars
was missing from one of his bank accounts
and there were reports from various
people claiming to have seen him in dif-
ferent places all over the world long after
his disappearance.
Others say that Ambrose Small was
murdered although his body was never
found. This theory opens up many
possibilities as Detective Austin Mitchell
who investigates the disappearance states,
"Half Of Toronto would like to have
murdered him and the other half would
have paid good money to have it done.
Many people claim to have , seen
Ambrose Small's ghost in his theatres,
particularly the Grand" in London which
still stands.
The acting in Love or Money is excellent
all around but particularly outstanding is
Anne Anglin who plays Mrs. Pye, the
Small's spiritualist housekeeper. Although
comical, she possesses an eerie power
which gives the play its most frightening
moments_
Ambrose Small's wife Theresa, a
beautiful and devout Roman Catholic, is
played by Diana Belshaw.
Suspicion is cast upon Theresa,
especially, when her husband's pocket
watch is found in her basement chapel
after his disappearance. Excavation takes
Place in the chapel in search of a,body but
nothing is found.
It is dear from the beginning of the play
that Ambrose and Theresa's marriage is
simply one of convenience. She knows
-about his many affairs but feels bound by
religion to stay in het loveless marriage. Is
she guilty ot is she the victim of religious
persecution by a predominently Orange
Toronto?
Ambrose Small's employee and 'friend',
Davin Sinclair, is played by Graham
McPherson. He too has many motives for
murdering Small. He is in love with
Theresa, although convinced that she has
killed her husband. And he also wants
money, which'Small would never give him,
to invest in motion pictures. Did he kill
Small for his wife and his money or is he
only a big -talking drunk?
Ambrose Small's mistress, an actress
named Clara Smith, is played by the pretty
Summer Canada project
Survey conducted
BY ELAINE TOWNSHEND
An accessibility survey of public
buildings and private businesses will be
conducted in Huron County this summer to
prepare a guidebook for disabled persons.
The 11 -week Summer Canada project is
sponsored by the Huron Day Centre for the
Homebound in Clinton in co-operation with
the Awareness League of Physically
Handicapped Adults (Alpha Huron).
Five students are involved Lydia
Schuurman of Clinton, Mary Peckitt of
Clinton and Mary Jane Scott of Brucefield,
all graduates of Central Huron Secondary
School, and Sherry Robinson of Bluevale, a
graduate of F.E. Madill Secondary School
in Wingham. Project manager is Stewart
Huyck of Goderich, a third year
engineering student at the University of
Western Ontario.
The students are using facilities at the
Day Centre as a base with satellite offices
in Exeter an '. Wingham.
Disabled individuals are often 'han-
dicapped' by physical barriers that they
encounter in the community, such as
Torn to page 8A •
essing
Patricia Vanstone. As a naive - young
showgirl, she could have murderedSinail
in a fit of passion. Did such a passionate
scene ever take place?
Layne Colenoanplays the dedicated anti
methodical Dectective Austin Mitchell of
the Toronto Police Force. He investigates
Small's disappearance but a shadow of
doubt hangs over his investigation when
the playreveals that he is -possibly in love
with Theresa and that he has always hated
Ambrose whom he refers to as 'a rich
bum'. Does he cover up revealing in-
formation -about the mysterious case
because of hese biases?
Although the whole play revolves around
Ambrose Snoalt, the audience never sees
him except as a ghost. The climactic
seance scene brings screams and nervous
laughter from the audience. Special ef-
fects are good and reminiscent of those in
I'll Be Back For You Before Midnight. It is
not surprising that the same man, Keith
Batten, directed both_
Tony Abrams' costumes are an accurate
representation of the 1920s flapper era and
the set, a sitting room in the Small's
Rosedale home, is filled with authentic
antiques.
What ever happened to Ambrose Small?
Love or Money won't bring you any closer
to the truth but it offers enjoyable en-
tertainment and speculation. It plays July
16, 17, 22, 23 (at 2 p.m.), 25, 30, and 31 and
August 11 and 20.
the.oerich
IGNAL-P-STA
•
9
F'eatured in the climactic seance scene in Love or
Skimmer Festival's second production of the sea.
right, Layne (oleman, Patricia Vanstone, Anne A
Money, Blyth
i. are, left to
in, Graham
Nie Pherson and Diana Belshaw. ( Photo courtesy of Blyth Summer
Festival
133 YEAR -28
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 1981
8E COND S EC TION
How to enj oy summer and beat the heat
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98
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Dogs need to stay cool too •
Shelley Harman performs aquatic acrobatics
sismot Pa.**,
$ °
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Goderich beach is crowded on hot days
9.
. Jane Dooria, 5, c()(& her inside V. it h ice
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