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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-05-03, Page 25Title suitable GLTt BY JOANNE BUCHANAN "Thriller of the Year", Goderich Little Theatre's final production of the season, lived up to its title and did indeed provide some thrills for audiences at MacKay Hall last week. The plot of the play revolves around someone's attempt to murder an arrogant mystery or thriller writer named Gillian Howard by using various methods from one of her own novels --a gas stove ex- plosion, poison brandy and electrocution. Each of the supporting four characters in the play has a motive for murder and the audience is kept in suspense trying to guess which one might be the culprit. The cast is made up of five women. The role of Gillian Howard for the 'Goderich production was taken on by Sally Walker. She very effectively portrayed a woman corrupted by her own success as a highly ac- claimed novelist; a woman who felt all other rifler thrilled lives must revolve around her own. Throughout the play with the help of Mrs. Walker, the audience -could . see that Gillian Howard was a self-centred woman who made enemies more easily than she made friends. The play opens with Gillian and her publisher, Irene Knight (played by Joyce Kuran), returning from a party where Gillian's latest novel has just been touted as "thriller of the year". As Irene Knight, Joyce Kuran really shines in her portrayal. Resentful of Gillian for having an affair with her husband, Irene is the first murder suspect --the first, that is, until she drinks the poison brandy meant for Gillian. She provides comic relief for the first half of the play with her overly dramatic and sarcastic remarks. Madge Robinson, Gillian's secretary (played by Ann Coulter) can also be a suspect. She has been pushed around by Gillian for years, coming up with ideas for her novels and typing the Casting begins for. Trapp children Auditions for the Huron Country Playhouse proTuction of. The Sound of Music are over but the difficult task of selecting the seven youngsters to portray. the Trapp Family children has only begun. James Murphy, Artistic Director of the Playhouse, said that over 200 children from the ages of five to 17 auditioned for the coveted roles in London, Goderich and Grand Bend. At each centre, the scene was the same: Funds low "Farmers' - money for the grain storage and ,handling. program is running out! " says Huron ag. rep. Don Pullen If you plan to take advantage of this federally sponsored program, have your work done quickly - then apply for the grant of 30 percent of your cost up to $1,500. There is less than $1 million left of the $13 million appropriated for this program in Ontario. Contace the Agricultural Office in Clinton about eligibility of items and applications. ■ talented and excited young people were eager to prove their merits. They were well prepared for the singing portion of their auditions, and many sang _songs from' The Sound of Music. The children came from all over South- western Ontario region,' including Parkhill, Forest, Petrolia, Sarnia, Strathroy, London and Goderich. Casting decisions will be made within two to three weeks. The children will be chosen for their singing and acting abilities and their resemblances as farhily members. The Sound of Music will.. be directed by James Murphy. It begins rehearsals on August 6 and plays from August 22 to September 1 at the Huron Country Plahyouse, Grand Bend. manuscripts but never getting any credit. However, Madge turns out to be a victim not a murderer. Ann plays Madge as a stiff, proper and very moral young woman concerned with her boss' tendency to drink too much. The other characters overpower her with their orders and she spends most of her time trying to get a word in edgewise. One of everybody's GLT favorites, Kathy Jenkins, provides comic relief for the second half of the play with her portrayal of Edith, Gillian's kind but silly and interfering mother- in-law. Edith also has a motive for murder. Gillian and her son, Martin are separated and Gillian has all the money. Kathy Jenkins just 'seems to have an in- tuitive ability to play a character as she was meant to be played and her portrayal of Edith is no exception. If playwright Glyn Jones, author of this production, could see Kathy as Edith, he would heartily ap- prove. Anna Melski, in the role of Beryl Spence, Gillian's doctor, is _ poised and comfortable in her role. As it turns out, Dr. Spence who is the. least suspected of all the characters, is the cool, calculating murderer. Her motive is Gillian's husband and Gillian's money. The play has a surprise ending with Madge dying in Gillian's place. It also contains an .especially exciting stene iri which Dr. Spence chases Gillian with a syringe. W. J..Denomme FLOWER SHOP Phone 524-8132 DAY OR. NIGHT Agent for 24 -hr. FILM.DEVELOPING GODERICH POLICE FORCE TELEPHONE NUMBERS —1, EMERGENCY 524-8333 INFORMATION & ADMINISTRATION ... 524-8334 "What this country needs ...is effective leadership." A - Moira Couper, Ed Broadbent NDP COUPER NDP Breoc en- Bayfield 565-2522 Clinton 482-3208 Exeter 229-6223 Seaforth 527-1860 Goderich 524-2756 Wingham 357-1594 (Autlhoriied by official agent of Moria Couper, N.D.P., Bayfield) The action nil happens in the lounge of Gillian Howard's London flat. The, stage at „)MacKay Hall was accurately turned into a furnished apartment for the pur- poses of the play but it was a combination of lighting technique and eerie taped music that helped achieve the overall mysterious effect. "Thriller of the Year" was directed by David Fanstone, a professional free-lance director who works across Ontario. His services were securdd through a Theatre Ontario grant to GLT. With this fine production, GLT ended a season of top notch plays and now leaves its patrons anxiously awaiting another season of the same high calibre. GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, MAY 3 , 1979—PAGE 3A Identical butterflies? Ballet butterflies, Sandra and Lenore Crabb, Grade 3 students, at St. Mary's School, performed the Butterfly Dance, a ballet number, at the school's talent show held last week as part of Education Week activities. (photo by Dave Sykes) l SPO-RTSWEAR MANY GROUPS - SEVERAL DIFFERENT FABRICS PRICES WERE '22.00 TO `65.00 mag TO $4 8 • Jackets. • Blazers • Pants • Skirts • Vests • Shirts • Sweaters J DRESSES VERY LARGE GROUP INCLUDING • Misses • Juniors • Half Sizes • Long Gowns (o few) PRICES WERE '40.00 TO '135.00 zaLe X 3 0 ,o $qp COATS — A FEW — PRICES WERE '185. fa INCLUDING SOME HALF SIZES PRICES WERE '80.00 TO '175.00 • Wool Coats Masi • All Weather saw $60 Coats .$135 ,,smarm. X1 40, SPORT COATS — A FEW — PRICES WERE '55.00 TO '60.00 saInas X40 STAN JONES VISA SHOPPE ,.o. SHOPPERSSQUARE GODERICH Open All Day Wednesday, Fridays fill 9 p.m.