HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1984-08-01, Page 241
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$IGNA f r l'Alt, WEDN SDAY, A' GUST 1984
ENTERTAINMaNT
end the estival scene
BY SHELLEY McPHEE
BLYTH - The ability to act is a natural, in-
born talent.
What an audience sees on stage is a refine-
ment of this ability.
Talents must be polished, plots developed
and characters molded before an actor and
a production are ready for the stage. This
detailed, often tedious development is called
rehearsal
To the unknowing observer, play rehear-
sal may appear to be unorganized,
repetitious and monotonous. In fact, it's all
part of a detailed plan to create a blend of
talents and imagination into a hit produc-
tion.
Rehearsal for the Blyth Festival's latest
production, Blue City involved more than
for weeks of hard work for director Janet
Amos, 11 actors and crew members.
It began several weeks ago with the initial
script reading and concluded early this
week with a final dress rehearsal.
During that time, countless changes were
made and only a small part of the original
script remains unchanged. The director, the
playwright and the actors reworked scenes,
time and time again, cutting lines here, ad-
ding sections there, until the final script fill-
ed an over extended binder.
Despite the numerous changes made to
the playwright's original work, that initial
script is essential. As Janet explained, "You
must have a script, that's your character
and your plot.
The development of scenes becomes a
character analysis and an emotional study
in an effort to create the,Wost realistic effort
possible.
As scenes are acted out, performers learn
more about their characters and include
their own interpretations. Ad libbing can
become that extra touch in a play, sugges-
tions by the director and fellow actors help
shape the final production.
Rehearsal can be tedious and detailed, but
it's also an inspired, creative process. As ac-
tors become more familiar with their
characters and their lines, the flow of the
play evolves.
"It's not stop -start," Janet tells the com-
pany, "we've got to get the flow."
On stage that "flow" seems natural, but
the success of the final production depends
on rehearsal
Rehearsal can be flexible but it's also
business and it's work - hard work. It re-
quires close concentration and a team ef-
fort.
Janet sets the pace and keeps it moving,
"Come en let's en we've pet very little time
today," she tells the actors, snapping her
fingers to emphasize her point.
"It's tiring," she explained. "You have to
keep patient and keep things moving. You
can see how quickly tempers go when it's
this close to opening."
Janet must keep the momentum and .
spirits high. If she loses it, chances are the
whole cast will.
Some actors look tired. Some pace, some
bite their nails, some puff on cigarettes.
Blue City involves a cast of 11 actors and
this in itself can be a trying experience.
Janet explained, "It's harder on the cast.
Their energy comes and goes."
Working with such a large cast means a
lot of waiting while other scenes are being
rehearsed. The actors use this time to study
scripts, read over the morning newspaper
or run errands. •
Waiting tan become frustrating, script
changes can become confusing, tempers
flare momentarily, but when it comes to
picking up the scene, actors shoiav their
talents, and still appear fresh and inspired.
"They're (Blue City cast) an exceptional
group of people, probably the best I've ever
worked with," Janet enthused.
Exact timing and cuing is. essential to the
play. Scenes are reworked, over and over
again, until the right mood is evoked, props
are in the right place and lines are said, just
at the right time.
"The cast must have this structure. They
work and build on this with the breath of the
audience," Janet said.
It's 2 p.m. Rehearsal has just run four
hours.
The actors want lunch and union rules call
for a one hour break.
Rehearsal will resume after a lunch and
afternoon session will continue until after 5
p.m.
Rehearsal is all part of the creative pro-
cess that develops a play. It's also hard
work, but the final'stage production must be
natural, believable and compelling.
The Journal visits Blyth
BY WENDY SOMERVILLE •
BLYTH - Last week amidst the usual
summer hustle and bustle of trying to
produce quality acts fof the Blyth Festival,
CBC -TV's The Journal arrived to interview
Ted Johns, Blyth playwright. and Colleen
Curran, writer of Cake -Walk, which is
presently playing at the theatre.
Russ Cook, one of the program's
anchormen appeared with soundman,
cameraman and director in tow.
Those who participated in the event would
have to agree that Mr. Cook was
interviewing "against all odds." It appeared
that all the trucks in the county chose to
drive past the Memorial Hall just when the
cameraman had given thelsignal to proceed.
Running an hour behind schedule, the
crew decided to move to a more "ideal"
location fes, the Curran interview. They
chose a delightful spot beneath a large tree,
situated to the rear of the hall. With -chairs In
place they fought intermittent gusts and
groans from a nearby air conditioner and
the angry calls of a woodpecker who was
obviously furious with the intrusion of his
territory.
The entire event reminded us that things
in TV -land dont necessarily run smoothly.
They too havb to contend with hostile
interruptions and technical difficulties.
Confident people like Russ Cook, despite
their pressed suit facade, can loose their
cool.
Once the novelty of having a big operation
like the CBC in the local village wore off,
we just had to remind ourselves that after
all, we are just human. Watching the CBC
station wagon depart with all the crew
members and their equipment packed in,
one couldn't help but feel the slightest bit
disillusioned.
e.
G
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It may look like fun and games and that's just the mood that these actors are trying to
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Blyth Festival. (Shelley McPhee photo)
685 Adelaide St. North, LONDON
(Former L.C.B.O. Location)
The Journal's anchorman, Russ Cook, (second frohithe left) came to Blyth last week to
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The anchorman also interviewed Colleen Curran, Cake Walk playwright. She was in
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photo)
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