The Huron Expositor, 1978-07-20, Page 10HIS OWN BOSS— Peter Snell, nice guy Harold Hopewell talks with his Pollyanna-
like secretary, played by Kate Trotter, in "a scene from His Own Boss at the Blyth
Festival.'
We are now licensed to serve
Beer, Wine, Spirits
By the L.L.B.0.•
Come in and try
the ,excellent cuisine
in L our newly renovated
dining room. Its 'open
from on
Noon -'7 Monday & Tuesday
Noon, - 2 p.m.--Wednesday.
Noon - 8 p.m..._.Thursday, Friday
Noon - 5 Saturday
Hessen Haus
Lunches - licensed dining" room.
Main St. Seaforth
MOLSON
POINTS SERIES
V
, Box dffice Opens at 8:00 p.m. First Show at Dusk
- The story of two women whoseWn s 'p
suddenly became a matter of life and death.
10 — THE HURON EXPOSITOP J ULY 0, 1978
•Pr...";""WITF..11..117.174,19.1rnr71171.,!.... .nr7T,T.7
Sereiridipity
By Alice Gibb
If there's one-thingranadians like to do, no matter what their
polities or position in life, it's to complain about how the
government is running the county. 'Right into the ground, some
sayl.
- For this reason alone, His Own" Boss, by Blyth playwright
Keith Rolston, which opened at the Bltyh Festival last week and
is airing a lot of grievance's about gOvernment and its
bure atteracy, can't fail to 'win friends.
The comedy deals with a. diagruntled ass.embly line worker
--who has a chance totry country or at least . small town liviewas
well as being his own 'boss when his elderly uncle passes on,
. leaving him the Hopewell Cheese. and Butter Factory,
FED UP
Howard Hopewell, fed up with taking orders from someone
else, can't wait to get into business for himself and he dreams of
a kind of utopia - a business which will, reap instant profits, a
business in which he, the boss, can "be nice" to his employees
while having the independence he feels he deserves..
But, as the three acts of His Own Boss soon reveal, you just
can't beat the System,. even when you're in control. As. the
cynical newspaper editor Ms. Marion McCoy tells, Hopewell, the
only-thing being boss entitles you to "is to come in early and go
home late."
Much of the comedy in His Own Boss stems frpm the actions of
the`characters rather than:their lines, a fact which results in
some weak spotS in both the first two acts:
The opening scene - with:Harold and his fussy wife Harriett,
who are making their first visit to the office of the cheese factory,
has some excellent moments of slapstick with Hopewell In
particular demonstrating some skilled pratfalls as the couple
stumble over boxes, cheese barrels and the accumulated clutter
of Pat Flood's excellent set, •
But even the moments of slapstick can't rescue the first act
' from too many moments when the dialogue. fails to bring a - .
response from the audience. •
NICE GUY . •
Howard-- Hopewell-is-presented-by-Peter Snell as a nice gity
who just can't, bring himself to fire-his incompetent employee or
'to believe the hardheaded advice of the town newspaper editor
and resident pessimist. Although Sncll's character spends ,most
of the play reacting to the various tragedies befalling him in his
attempt to bean independent small businessmen, the character
needs a bit more depth . to win our sympathy.
Karen Karen Wien,s, as 'Harriett Hopewell, seemed to experience
more difficulty with her role and the problem was the character
of the wife. Mrs. Hopewell is quite bluntly a bitch, b,utto keep up
our interest in the poor woman's plight. We, the audience, need
to see her in 'a more human light. Also, the costuming of Miss
Wiens didn't seem to fit her former profession as member of a
college nursing faculty. The Mrs. Hopewell of the opening
'night's production was too self-righteous to be. believable, but
with a little re-working the character can be salvaged. •
STRONGEST
One of the strongest performances in the play was Heather
Ri 4chic's Ms. McCoy, the woman editor who says her job is just to
make the town rumors official. • •
It's obvious the portrait' of.. the -editor-publisher of the
• Templeton Tribune springs from 'some firsthand experience on
..thepart of-the playwright former publisher of the Blyth Standard
and this reviewer. took a special delight in some .of Ms. McCoy's
observations about the life of a small town newspaper woman.
Heather Ritchie manages a' consistent performance as the
wise-cracking, cynical editor who knows the joys Of being a small
businessman are vastly over-sited.
Kate Trotter, playing the dumb, but likeable Pollyanna-type
secretary, Cindy, had just the right amount of gushiness,. and
• saved a part.Which might haveseemed a•chingerous,stereetypein
- another actress' hands.• Some of the scenes with. Miss Philips
demonstrating her first aid techniques on poor hapless
.Hopewell are among the play's funniest moments.
TOnt McCa mus, the young, but veteran actor of the London
theatre scene, was the cornball Thomas Abercromby IL the
young -government inspector who secretly dreamed of going into
^business for himself, while officiously, making life hell for small
businessmen like Hopewell.
`CHEESE PUNS
Although sometimes Abercrombie's cheese pens threatened
to be too much,. by the third act MccComus had the character on
firm ground and the audience actually looked for\yard to his
'braying lough.,
.The ffnal character in the play is Michael Gibson, Hopcwell's
spoiled nephew who conies to work in (he plant during his
summer holidays and:.end up organizing a union and leading a
revolt against "the greed of big business" in his uncle's
near-bankrupt factory.
David Kirby plays Gibson, sometimes with a bit too much zeal,
as the hot-headed radical student intent on raising the workers'
Jot in life by getting a color T.V. and pool table in the staff
lounge.
His Own Boss, directed. by Gordon McCall, hits the' audience
with the theme that the small businessmen, beset with problems
from filling out innumerable forms for "Sadistics Canada" to
meeting the countless gOvernment rules and regulations hardly
have a donee. in today's economy.
If seta!l business dies, then so do the small towns that depend
on these homegrown industries to eniploy their citizenry.
The play, which continues until Aug. 17, with two more
matinee performances, is already well booked in advance.
However, His Own Boss still setters from some lack of fq.cus.
Both the first and second acts faced long spells without a laugh,
'some of the plot situations were clinches and some of the actors
had some difficUlty with their roles.
.But most plays experience some opening night traumas, and.
His Own Boss still contains 'the basic ingredients.,for.a_hit.
After all, a play that contains lines like "Everyone hates the
- boss that's the .one thing on which Canadians are united" and
"this place has more drips than .the federal pivernment" and. a
.number—ci o or. Witty observations on our times can't run
amuck. . • .
His Own Boss e important thing to say - and let me tell
yott, that'd not' all curds and whey!
* * * * *
The weekend's announcement that Robin Phillips, the artistic
di roctorof the Stratford FeStival, has submitted his resignation
to the board of directors, has taken the Canadian theatre world
4 by surprise.
Although the board's decision to hire Phillips six years ago
drew numerous criticisms--from the fact 'Phillips. wasn't a
• Canadian to the fact he was so young--rtic British director has__
More than proved himself', making the St ratfordFestiyal not .only
one of North America's leading theatres, but now one of the
world's- leading theatres.
The fact Phillips has attracted stars like Maggie Smith, and
Briand Bedford as well as Canada's Richard Monette and Domini
Blythe, -is ample evidence of the respect the, Festival is held. in
. international circles. •
During his years as artistic director. Phillips has Cee,ded the,
Festival acting company of some of the actors no, longer carrying
their weight, he has 'staged a numbee.of Shakespeare's lesser.
• known works and. perhaps most importantly, commissioned
contemporary workS for the Avon Theatre and the Third Stage.
. In the past, the director has suffered from bouts of ill health
and from overwork, and many speculate these have contributed
to his decisien to step down from the 'pest of artistic director.
Earlier this season,. Phillips cancelled twoproduct ions sch*eduled
• to open at the Festival this fall and this -prompted speculation
that something was wrong within the Festival .rariks.,
Although Phillips . may yet be' persuaded to.- remain at the
Festival at least until his plans for a theatre school- are ,
implemented, if he does leave, One hopes his successor will be
judged en his merits as an, artistic.*rector, .rather than the fa-et
that he; was or wasn't born on Canadian` soil.
Hen011 girl
brings
honors to
county
• Sandra Waddell, 13. year old
da ughter of Mr. and Mrs, Clarence
Waddell of Henson brought back
two adjudicators awards to this
area, from -the Ontario Central
Music League Festiva-held at the
Airport Holiday. Inn at Mahon at
the 'weekend. She was chosen
from the third year solo accordion
class and along with Gerda Brand
Of Clinton took the Adjudicators
Award for the third year -duet
class. Both girls are -students Of
Miss Diane Stevenson of Clinton...
At the July meeting of the
Huronview auxiliary held in the.
Board Room, 15 members
answered the roll call by giving a
quotation or some verses. After
much discussion, it was decided
to hold the fall tea:, and bake sale
on October 4, and it is hoped that
therewill be a good attendance at
the next meeting on August 21
when plans for the bazaar tea and
bake sale will be made. The
meeting was presided over by the
president, Mrs. Anne McNichol.
ere will be some good music,
some unusual crafts and hope-
fully some good times ot this
year _Rom .-bounty Folk
Festival.
The Festival, which will'be held
in Victoria Park in London on July
21, 22 and 23, will offer audiences
a variety of folk music styles -
everything from the bluegrass of
The Kent County Pickers to the
blues of Jackie Washington and
the satiric songs of Doug
McArthur..
,The free outdoor concerts in the
--park ,-which feature three stages
and workshop on the different
styles of folk music, will be held
in Victoria Park from 1 p.m. to 9
bm. on each of the three day•s.
This year, for the first time, the
concert will move indoors to
Centennial Hall after 9 p.m., and
admission is $5 per concert or $10
for a ticket admitting people to all
three 'concerts.
Joe Matyas, one of the festival
organizers, said' 26 core group
performers h,ave been signed for
the concert, and two acts will also
be coming from Quebec City.
Also, 'he said' the festival,
or.genVers: are negotiating, to
bring in some additional name
perforniers who will perform only
during 'the evening concerts in
Centennial Hall.
Mr. Matyas said it is getting
much harder to raise revenues for
Play .girs, grievances
the three day festival Which drew
about 40.000 people last . year.
The festival organizers made
the decision to hold=three paid
admission evening concerts "to
.strive' towards self-sufficiency"
Mr. Matyas said.
Mr. Matyas said 'festival
organizers feel hard core music'
fans usually attend the evening
performances. In the past. the
Sunday night concert allowed
only limited performances 7
usually one song - by 'the folk
artists. This year, •each performer
will have 20 minutes to entertain •
with the three evening concerts
format.
Mr. Matyas said the concerts
are also acting as a form of "rain
insurance." In the post, poor .
weather has cancelled part of the
festival but this year:the concert
revenue means a guranteed
kncorne for the three day
program.
There will be 40 to 60 craft
booths at the, festival and food
concessions will offer folksier
food this year from Condon
specialty shops.
Among the name perfortiners
featured in 1978 Home County
Folk Festival are Beverley Glenn
Copeland, Stan Rogers, Dave
Essig, The Dixie • Fliers and
COrrilialtas Ceoltoiri Eireanh. ti I
DRIVE-IN THEATRE LTD.
fo,lk Festival opens
BEECH ST. CLINTON
STAG .
for
Jim
Holland
Fri., July 28th
RECEPTION FOR '
& Mrs.
GLEN McNEIL
nee Vanda Storey
Blyth Community Centre
Sat., July 29th
Dancing 10-1
Music by Country Companion
Everyone Welcome
The Royal Canadian Legitin
Branch 128 Mitchell
Golden Anniversary Ball
presents
The 'One and Only
TOMMY DORSEY
ORCHESTRA
Conducted-by
BUDDY MORROW
Appearing at The
Mitchell Arena
Wellington Street
One Night Only
Friday, August 25
9p.m. to 1 a.m.
Tickets $15.00 per couple
AVAILABLE FROM The Mitchell Legion or C. French 348-9977
JANE FONDA VANESSA REDGRAI,
Based on a true story,
SUNDAY, JULY 23rd AT 1:00 P.M.
OT .f. -.N.. v R, „Ay,. e„.., ART HELM — 529-7627
itc ,F ,-.yo. , .. L L A,,, , j., ,,c, r.ED ,,,,., ,..,..Ass
°cc ..h :^....E . • . ',PIP ,,T ". . 'XX , F s,(r1r.r, , , P A (LAT,T, CLIFF LWINGSTON .7 0,x, ,b- so...c,L E ...Y.,NL'EA ti' ^. —AS.
Skk .P s'OCI ,Er, V ,. L, Ac.,, ..6: ,, , , ptp sTock , , P A CLASS ' • .529-7488
•Do) LB VOCF.EDCLA r L , P A apcx ‘.0 yr es,F E) c ',V A CLASS
'945000 9000 LB SUPER STCX k. Z T P A 2CCe .p , PER STOCK C T E• A CLASS
. ' OVN LAWN CHAIRS
PLEASE BRING TOUR sum LB SLPEB St()L,K ( T P A
PROCEEDS FOR Li 'CA NO tr ' .4 AD DIS 'TR !CT COMMUNiTY CENTRE
LUCKNOW, ONTARIO-
SATURDAY, JULY 22 at 1P.M
SUNDAY, JULY 23- at 1 P.M.
. • .sr) s."HIRED HI I.( (it NOW TR.V.TOR KU, ASSOC/A VON
BIGGEST IN WESTERN ONTARIO _ TUTST To i'fitiV 11 El j t I OS 6i ( L,TrcNATINITRAi 14111 1ti'401 IMO'S
6 Classes of Mini Tractors if 7 Classes of Super Stock and Modified
Ft*r fl her bcforritrition ConEarl:
SATURDAY, JULY 22nd AT 1:00 PM,
GENE WILDER 'JILL CLAYBURGH RICHARD PRYOR •
The screwball comedy about' he high school
senior with.a system for everything!
T"lE tfileRti_Art .i..s -;
0113.4.01,1
SUN MON.. TUE — JULY 23, 24. 25
ns
surn4 cnm councian
^ Q- .'- PHIL SILWRS
..95.1pEN GUTTENBERG ED IAUTE
z —
TUESDAYNIGHTS ONLY — SPECML
$6.00 PER CARLOAD
.3111rTS rreonesaay, Juiy 26
"Cdsey's Shadow" AND "Silver'
WALTER MATTHAU MICHA[I. CAINE Rears if
ADULT t$TERTAINMENT