HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1979-07-12, Page 10If
THE: HURON EXPOSITOR 12, 100
,... ,.,,„>a alip.ps,00Tpr,00pT
Ser.endp
by AliceilI:
1'1l: Be Back For You Before Midnight,
the 'bucolic mystery which is the. Bluth;
Festival's second, production of the season..
turnstile dream of that "little pace in the
country" into a nightmare , a nightmare
that keeps audtettees, en the edge of lb*
Seats.
Peter Coney's play. billed. as a "comedy
thaller" is about ae city eoupte - graduate,
student Gree, played' by Peter Snell and his,
young wife,. Jane, who retire to the tranquil'
countryside so the wife •can mend her
shattered nerves. After seven months in a
hospital, "staring at white walls and, white
people", Greg's wife wants some friendly
human company and the chance to pick up
the fragments of her once -happy marriage.
The company she doesn't want, but who
arrives anyway, is vampish; sister-in-law
Laura, played with just the right mixture of
mystery, and evil by actress Kate Trotter.
The fourth character intheP lay is the
good-humoured Sherlock, Holmes buff
George, the neighbouring farmer from
across the way who drops in to share a drop
of whiskey with the young couple and warn.
themthere a e "things that go bump in the.
night" known to be lurking• around the
farra oh.use. •..
Tony Abrams' set of a farmhouse filled
with dull but comfortable overstuffed
furniture,, heavily draped windows and
sliding doors creates. just the right atmo-
sphere for a house of mystery, When
George eagerly informs the couple that a
half century before there was a ghastly
murder in their very 'livingroom and that a
red stain, still appears on the floor
,whenever a murder owl in the. lural
Area, then the plan's mood is scat. lat,'orge's
list of maeahre country tragedies. from a
chainsaw murder to the inevitable crushing;
in a piece Of farm machinery struck lust the
right note with the festr‘ail's rural audi•
enee. Bt .the send i,t1 iht. first scene, the
audience knew they Acre* to for a.
spine -tingling everting of theatre
The playwright Peter author of
last year's•sailaxh hititori,al :wined! 'Ube
"Huron Tiger; Abdul the ewc.ceritrat: Tiger
Dunlop of Gederi0 and .i popular show
about the infainmous I1onut,°lh family.
produced by Theatre Loudon a few years,
ago., faced a orator problem in tackling a
thriller set around the ',Tennis of a neurotic"
wife teetering on the brink of
ins. I
tv
.
Unfortunately . same alec has .et
tackled just too many times before. - to
novels. movies and Oli : LAttilwwn ;itid this
just doesn't leave the playwright rough.
room for original plotting While t.'olley
does manage a twist atii the theme in his'
plays 'climax, by the cast.ttw scene:” e% en
the twist seemed predictable for anyone
foll wing the plotvtry lwstlv.As in ew
cry.
good ',mystery. the: clue to the play's
solution had alreaclu been handed *andc:•tl tkt the
audience.
This reviewer found the piot wasn't the
only thing :suffering from ;4lichLs, so did
much of the humour on. the difference in
the rural -urban lifestyle. The jokes about
needing a degree to farm today and giving
a son ploughsharees instead of a stereo are
country humour we've heard just too many
times before. Jokes about the country, like
P
y
CI
s
chiller
garden tvegetables. need ;to be fteSit to he
appreciated.
If the play's humour is often disappoint-
ing, the acting certainly isn't and this saves
• 1'11 Be Brack .For Xou Before Midnight,
creating enough suspense to hold the
audience spellbound.
Angier Gel. m her fourth season, at the
festival. creates. 4 sympatlt.etic portrait of
the vy rte fighting to hold on to both
husband and sanity. The wife"s growing
fear and her battle to understand the forces
operating, both inside and outside the
t'irnthause are a major factor in keeping
the play together. The neurotic Jan knows.
she's a "walking Cliche" as an ex -mental
patient, but she musters' her reserves to
fight off the threats both of her incestuous
sister-in-law and the mysterious intruder
who invades. the farmhouse after darkness •
falls.
• Peter Snell. as the vacillating husband,
Greg, frightened of being left alone in the
world, and so an easy victim for his sister's
wiles. has his finest moments in the play's
comedy 'scenes, °Whether falling down,
stairs or d`sc .
t . S t ow ering the hazards of
jogging. When Greg arms hiniself with
pedometer, sw eat band and other assorted
jogging paraphern dila and sets out bravely
to jog down the country lanes, only to
discoser that fences' can prove a painful
obstacle. the audience can't help but roar
at his, fate. 'Mose of us who question the
sanity of an}one Who jogs can't help but
appreciate Snell's portrayal of befuddles
academic who ean't even run safely.
Although the actor sometimes seems to be
typecast intim role of a shapelessCharactetr
at the festival, he always displays a flair fon
comedy.
i*ato Trotter, last year's dumb secretary
la His Own Bess, has turnedinto the
personifleation of .an evilblack widow
spider. although stunningly ,costumed in
white satin,. Miss Trotter proves to be a
villain you love to hate from her sultry
entrances down the. stairs to her curled up
poses on, the overstuffed couch as she spins
a web to ensure that she, not Jan, wins her
brother's, undying; love.
Peter f;lliott has a more difficult role in
Creating a believable next door neighbour
since his role is almost a stereotype - the
easygoing farmer with a too -hearty laugh
who likes to keep an eye on his neighbour's
goings-on. Elliott's best moments; are in
his sympathetic scenes with, the frightened
Jan and during the play's final scene - but
then any comment on that scene would
spoil the mystery,
Although this reviewer found I'll Be
Back For Ypu Before Midnight a disap-
pointingly safe production, with a first act
that left toomany pauses between comedy
and suspense, the play will undoubtedly
prove popular with audiences - after all,
there's nothing anyone likes better than a
good scare. Younger audiences willl likely
enjoy the thrills even more than the older
generation.
This play may not be Peter Colley at his
best, but 1'11 almost guarantee you'll lock
all your doors after seeing this production -
and maybe think twice about •country
living!
Ausable-Bayfield; Conservation
Authority
Eleventh Annual
Canoe Regatta.
and
FamilyPicnic
Sunday, July 15
At Parkhill' Conservation Area
[intersection of Hwys. 7 & 81, near. Parkhill]'
REGISTRATION: 9:30 a.m 10:45 a.m;
54.00/adult,
children <aged '14 and: under $2.50
RACES START AT: 11:00 a.m.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, Chi (TACT
Auaable-Bayfield: Conservation Authority
Office, 235-2610
Ausgble B•ayf el
The . Ausable•Bayfield:
Conservation .Authority is
holding its. eleventh ;annual..
Parkhill Canoe Regatta and
Family Picnic on Sunday,
July 15 at the Parkhill Cott -
i
•
uthar#y
� q re�
servation Area, intersection
of Hwys. 7 and °81, near
Parkhill.
This special event, which
is scheduled to start at 11:00
a.rit. offers an excellent
Stratford
Theatre -goers who were
disappointed to learn the
Stratford . Festival hit,.. The
Importance of Being Earnest
was sold out .earlier this
chance for family and. friends
to' .get together . either to
participate or be entertained
by the antics . of others.
Registration is from 9:30
10:45 a,m;, and the fee is.
hit sold out
summer now have a second popular Oscar Wilde play.: •
chance to see the play,
,The Festival ,has an
nounced it is , scheduling
extra performances of the
lions Park donat ons
Royal Canadian Legion
I Seaforth Branch 156; 525.00;
Anonymous, 25.0Q; Seaforth
Farmers co operatiw'e, 40.00
G, Bannon. 15.00: Mrs: I.
Bennett, 5.00,' "Mrs. J.A.
Murray, .5.00 J.0: Turnbull,
25:00; J•.M; Scott 25.00;..
' Mrs. G. T.itford,25.00;
iamoormeiLl
BOX, OFFICE OPENS AT 5:30 P.M.
FIRST SHOW AT DUSK
For Informa
tion Phone:
482-7030
DRIVE-IN THEATRE
LIMITED
BEECH STREET-CLINTON
PLAYING WEDNESDAY THROUGH
SATURDAY -JULY 11=12-13-14
PLUS 2ND FEATURE
it was the Deltas against the rules...
the rules lost! NATIONAL
LAMP••E s
Alli/M�IAL II.Uer
A{IirrVE
rb+yt err
.11.41SP ..r 5..T,a.
057„,..1k5: ' •
TITTOTTS
PLAYING SUNDAY, MONDAY & TUESDAY
JULY 15-16-17
W1LUTAM PETER RATTY'S
THE EXORCIST
..we y r a .m.
PLUS 2ND BIG FEATURE
CLINT EII$TWOOD
TIME (ill 1PI7`t.R"T
Use your Compilniente ry
Pass -In the July i0,
issue Of the Hurof Shopping News
4CN ••4`+t
., •w1. it .., G.t!.
STARTS W.EDNESDAY JULY 18 , , ..
WELCOMESACK, HEREIE!
SPECIAL
ADMISSION
FOR tHIS
WALT DISNEY'
PI*OGkAM
Adults *3,00'
Children< KRM IIotUc no. Ns
Utrder 1t2 S0 Cr"NdNtl WALY DISNEY Ptit tifiw i.r...4 41
t?tr•••4119aters irrtt►..._,__:w.. rt
PLUS
BIG
FEATURE
1lifALY Dittitir
+irrwva w:siY
Anonymous, 10,00.
S.J. Scott, .10.00; Happy
Citizens, 10.00 W. Maloney,
10,00, Ms . E. Ruston:: 10.00,
G. Boven, '10.00; Mrs. W.
Shortreed, 10.00; L. Bannon,,
Six student performances.
of Richard 11, which has had
poor ticket sales, have been
cancelled and replaced by
public performances of
Earnest. ,
The shows, ' which are
schedules as matinee per
forinances, will be held at the
Avon Theatre Sept. 13, 19,
26 and Oct. 10, 24 and 31.
Three additional matinee
performances have been,
Warmed for Oct. 1.18 aad 2 .
10.00; Mrs. A. Troutbeck,
10.00. Bob & Betty's Variety,
50.00:: a
LAST NIGHT THURSDAY, JULY .12
IIOX OFFICE: OPENS S:00 P.M. - SHOWT1fME fi30
ADULT ENTERTAINMENT
ROGER MOORE
JAMES BOND 007n
iI
RAK
Starts FRIDAY!
No one has ever escaped from Alcatraz
and no one ever will
ri+tnended.os
xeco".:
oDUt1 MEN.
EN1Fa1,AtN
CUNT lEASTYMMID
ESCAPE FOINVI ALCATRAZ
"PLUS'
WARiliN
BEATTY CI
iiWY $ MINN AT
CCALtSSM IrJ d
PIf041t
t24 99e1
!/STJ1NG
57A -9e1
tr roar st,biloct' to ch.n without Motile..
a set
54.00 peradult and. $2.50; for
children aged 14 and under,
The . registration table is
located at the Day -use beach.
Admittance to the Conserv-
ation Area is: SI 50 per car or
a valid' season's: pass.
Fun events include a gun-
wale‘ race, crab race, tug -of
war, horseshoe tournament,.
watermelon eating contest,
water basketball and canoe
races for both the amateur
and experienced canoeist.
Bring a picnic 'lunch or
something to barbecue, as a
large barbecue pit will be set
up. Parkhill Conservation
Area offers tent and trailer
camping, group camping,
scenic nature trails,la in
P Y g
fields, an inviting beach and
day -use areaand an Activity
Provos-
. •
FT
THINGS THAT GO BUMP Transplanted city dweller Greg .(left)
played by actor Peter Snell and George,e1 the neigbo ring, farmer r etVn
the road, played by Peter Elliott in the Blyth Festival thriller I'li Be Back
For You Before Midnight, are looking for things that go bump in the
night: (Photo by Roulstpn)
MountU
nt
Forest
parade
•
winners
At the Centennial' Parade
held in Mount Forest on; the
2nd of July Mr. Bill;
Leeming of McKillop
Township won second prize
with a four horse hitch of
:,ponies on an antique grader:.
In the same , parade.
Malcom Jacobs 'of- Brussels
took third prize for a four
horse hitch. of Percherors on a
Chuck Wagon.
Queens
•(Hotel
Seaforth:
This Week:
Wed. to Sat.
Masquerade
110
'GOOD Mtn /.
festival of
arts and crafts
on the Square in Goderich
THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY
JULY 12, 13, 14
DAILY EVENTS 10 A.M. TO 9 P.M.
• Art Gallery
• Crafts
• Tea Garden
• Photography Gallery;
•: Flower Show
• The Livery Theatre:
Poster Sale, Model Railroad.: display by
Gandy Dancers.
THIS YEAR'S SPECIAL EVENTS!!!
THURSDAY at 8:30 P.M.
Square Dance • on the Square'.
FRIDAY at 7:30 P.M
Elgin Fisher and his•.
Entertainers
SATURDAY AT 7 P.M.
Croft Auction. Sale
SATURDAY AT 8:30 P.M.
Mount Forest Cameron Pipe Band
'7:
POINT SERIES for the
MOLSON CANADIAN AWARDS
LUCKNOW, ONTARIO
SATURDAY, JULY ..21,:at 1 P.M
SUNDAY, JULY 22 at 1 P.M
AT: r4
0
w
E
ti1'11 \,ti1IK1:I) Il) 1,
,A L .:BIGGEST IN
\� .... t�,1lrtvie111it`tiI1:UItrle'liii't1
6 ClasSes of ` Lfini Tractors, * 7 Classes
( ch \ll tl -Tit I. LL 1.titi11(a",t'I'll).�
WESTERN ONTARIO
t►•ii�.t.t.tit tilrr't\iii ism lit oft 1.1 mins,
oj' Super Stock and Modified Plus .1 -Wheel Drive Trucks
(Super Stack)
SATURDAY, JULY 21, AT i:b0 p.,n.
10001b stock Mn,i'
20001b. Single Cylinder Mini
17001b Modified Min,
6500 Ib. Super Slock 4 Wheel Mite Teucke
• CTPA
.5000 lb Super Sloth CTPA
1000 Ib, Modrlfed C 7 P A
9000 ib. Super Stock C 7.P.A
SUNDAY. JULY 22 at L'06p;tTt.
12001b Stock Molt
1000 Ib Single Cylinder Mint
1500 Ib, Modihed Mini
5000 Ib Modihed C t PA
7000 lb Super Stott, CTP A
9060 Ib Modihed C 1 P A
12000 5, Super Stock C T P A
PROCEEDS FOR C-().%t,JC'' ITY
t•'rrr t turbot Int l•1rif a'irfte f irieteirt:
;1RT 11E1.11--' 529462
529-r,t88
1'I .w;1!+t; II It 111,1 101 It
iI \.I,1RVi HAIRS ..•• •'
TOTAL
1 PURSE
•10,975
trig,
e
l'LC 1AL tX *ASTON PERMIT IN EFFECT