The Citizen, 1998-07-01, Page 19From 'Yesteryear'
The backroom of Howard's Hardware Store comes alive with love and laughter during the
Blyth Festival's opening night production of 'Yesteryear' by Joanna McClelland Glass.
Sharing the joke are, from left: Eric Coates as Police Chief Andy Campbell, Jason Rumley
as young Bob Ramsey, Ross Manson as David McTavish and Tom Hauff as Malcom
MacGregor. (Photo by Off Braodway Photography)
Theatre review
Trip to 'Yesteryear' pleasant
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THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1998. PAGE 19.
E ntertainment `Miracle Worker'
inspiring, poignant
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen staff
Like an honoured guest Blyth
Festival's opening night play
Yesteryear arrived fashionably late
Friday night, then spent the remain-
der of the evening being the life of
the party.
A story of love revisited, small-
town politics and friendship,
Yesteryear is a fine example of
good theatre. Take a solid script,
penned by noted author and play-
wright Joanna McClelland Glass.
Then add characters that have
enough of a past and a sense of
humour that makes you want to
spend time with them.
The sojourn to Yesteryear began
prior to the performance with the
gentle melodies of 40's era tunes.
The set, created by Yvonne Sauriol,
has the perfect nostalgic mood,
cluttered simplicity reminiscent of
earlier smalltown businesses.
Set in post World War H Raglan,
Sask. the story centres on David, a
painter, who caught his betrothed
with another man the night before
they were to marry 15 years earlier.
Quick tempered, he ran her out of
town with a horsewhip and has
spent the aftermath pining.
This story and that of many
townfolk unfolds in the backroom
of Howard's Hardware, where
David lives. From Raglan's madam
to its mayor, we become acquainted
with a delightful cast of characters
all familiar, yet stopping shy of fla-
grantly stereotypical.
Thanks to the confident direction
of Paul Lampert, each member of
this strong cast absorbs their char-
acter's persona like a sponge. You
wonder if you met any of the actors
on the street the following day
whether you would see the real
thing or their Yesteryear alter ego.
And so comfortable are they with
their roles that it is evident they are
having as much, if not more, fun
than their audience. There is less a
sense of people on stage acting,
than of people just being.
Ross Manson is an understated
David, whose confusion and often
self-deprecating humour provide
fodder for his co-horts.
Michelle Fisk does a nice turn as
Beth McMillan, a woman who mar-
ried to get more out of life and ends
up with much less. Her husband
'Randy' Sandy ignores her, spend-
ing most of his time at the local
whorehouse. He is played with ego-
centric splendidness by Ari Cohen.
lhomas Haut! commands atten-
tion as the town's phoney, preten-
tious politico, while Michael
Healey shines as the likeable, often
socially dim Howard.
Eric Coates makes an age jump
LISTOW F.I. 291-3070
HELD OVER
CINEMA 1 7 & 9:15 AA
HELD OVER
X-FILES
CINEMA 2 7 & 9:00 PG
THE TRUMAN
SHOW
JIM CARREY
to the slightly tainted middle-age
police chief with aplomb, as does
Blyth's perennial favourite Jerry
Franken as a retired banker.
Some of the best moments come
from Jason Rumley as the telegraph
messenger. His ingenuous spon-
taneity sneaks in with timely per-
fection.
Sharon Bakker is a brassy
madam and Jane Spidell, is, though
seemingly less comfortable with
her character than the the rest of the
cast, is a charming Mildred.
Glass is. an accomplished writer
and it shows. Having penned sever-
al plays, two novels, both of which
she has adapted into screenplays,
she knows what is required.
Yesteryear sets the stage, intro-
duces us to people we can, despite
their inadequacies, come to under-
stand. There is a balance of truth
and whimsy, of drama and humour,
the latter of which she was fortu-
nate to have played to its best
advantage through the excellent
timing and delivery of a strong cast
guided by a competent director.
Then when all is said and done
the ends are tied together nicely
making this trip to Yesteryear a
pleasure.
Continued from page 18
which though offering a rather
strange elegance to the set symbol-
izes a home torn and overshadowed
by tragedy.
Directed by Jeannette Lamber-
mont, The Miracle Worker moves
smoothly, though the images which
haunt Annie often distract. As the
full impact of their meaning comes
well after their first and final
appearance, it is uncertain whether
they serve any real value to the pro-
duction.
Conversely, a scene where the
servants sing a spiritual while Ross
clears the table painted such a vivid
picture of the south that one could
almost hear the cicadas and smell
the magnolias. The story would
have moved without it, but its
inclusion was heady.
The Miracle Worker is not just a
story of triumph against seemingly
insurmountable odds. It's about
being blinded by love to the point
of indulgence, and about being deaf
to the rules of guidance when con-
fronted by a recalcitrant child.
It is also about awareness of our
fortunes. Watching Lindstrom's
face as she discovers is incredibly
stirring.Think of those who are
bored at school, then think of her, a
person who thirsted to learn, but
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gtappv 50th
atutivettaaw
Lloyd & Helen
Wheeler
July 3, 1948
Love from Doug, Cathie,
Trevor, Erica, Jim, Diane,
Jen, Michael, Phillip, Gerry,
Brenda, Brook, Brent &
Brianne.
could find no way to reach the
fountain of knowledge, and it's
hard to determine who evokes the
greater pity.
Either way The Miracle Worker
is a poignant story that continues to
inspire.
Nappy, 8001
diktlidav
Dad
The family of
Ralph Caldwell
invite you to join them on
Sunday, July 12, 1998
for an
Open House
at the home of
Wayne & Deb Caldwell,
R.R. #6 Goderich
(Huron County Rd. 1,
North of Carlow - at the Nile)
from 2-4 p.m.
May your only present be
a handshake, a smile
and a chance to chat awhile.
80th Birthday
Celebration
for
Alvin Snell
on
Sunday,
July 12, 1998
at
Blyth United
Church
Blyth, Ontario
1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Best Wishes Only
Please
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