The Citizen, 1998-07-08, Page 27Not a turnip
Frank, played by Michael Healey, extolls the virtues of rutabagas to an amazed Sherry,
Caroline Gillis, left, while a lovestruck Katherine Ashby as Mandy looks on in this scene from
Andrew Moodie's Wilbur County Blues. The show runs in repertory until Aug. 1 at the Blyth
Festival. (Photo by Oft Braodway Photography)
Theatre review
`Wilbur' a nice fit for Blyth
;reek 131-- Zoe
for
ANGE JARDINE
& RYAN FINCH
Saturda , July 18, 1998
Belgrave Arena
Music: Sound Proof
Dancing 9 - 1
Lunch Provided
Tickets: $5. each Age of Majority
PEOPLE WHO READ
NEWSPAPERS ARE
STUDENTS
WITH
BETTER
GRADES
It all starts with Newspapers
Jtappy 80 t&
ittliday
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.
BERNICE McCLINCHEY
July 11
Mom you're so caring & sharing
One of a kind
May your 80th Birthday
be one to remind!!
Love and best wishes from
your family
Ruth & Harvey,
Helen & Don
George & Nova
Mary & Bryan & Grace,
all of your grandchildren &
great granchildren.
HAPPY 80Th BIRTHDAY -1
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
"THE FUNNIEST,el 109VI! OF THE YEAR!
FRI. - THURS. FRI. & SAT.
JULY 10 - 16 SUN. - THURS.
LONG DISTANCE? CALL 1-800-255-3438 FOR TOLL FREE MOVIE INFO
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1998. PAGE 27.
E ntertainment Sisters step with Descendents
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen staff
When you're looking for a play
that's a perfect fit for the Blyth Fes-
tival stage, what better way than to
create one?
Such is the history of Wilbur
County Blues, by Andrew Moodie,
which premiered at Blyth, July 2.
Invited by Festival Artistic Director
Anne Chislett to visit Blyth then
write a play, Moodie came up with
a story about a Nigerian immigrant,
who has moved his son to quiet
Wilbur County, in the hopes of pro-
tecting him.
Having fled his native home fol-
lowing the murder of his journalist
wife, Ben has spent the ensuing
years trying to escape the past and
avoid new confrontations by mov-
ing from place to place. Now, after
someone breaks into his home and
business, an act he sees as an issue
of colour, he prepares to flee again,
despite a developing relationship
with a local coffee shop owner.
His 15-year-old son, Gabriel,
(Michael Blake) who wants to put
down roots and has begun to make
some friends, wants none of it and
runs away. Their attempt to bridge
a generation gap is just one of the
conflicts in this often witty drama.
Despite the folksy setting, the
characters of Wilbur are for the
most part a complex lot. Ben
played by George Seremba is an
intense, yet sensitive man, terrify-
ing in anger, often amusingly shy
in matters of the heart.
His coffee shop neighbour Sherry
(Caroline Gillis), is a career-mind-
ed, free-spirited single mom, who
returned to the town she couldn't
wait to leave to care for her ailing
father — and never left again. Her
strong-willed, carefree daughter,
Tabitha (Mackenzie Muldoon) is
the instigator for much of the
entanglements that follow.
And while she talks about her
crush on the mysterious Gavin,
Gabriel tries to sort out his feelings
for her.
Michael Healey as Frank is a for-
mer high school jock, once cocky
in glory, now slightly pathetic. In a
bit of a Twelfth Night twist without
the cross-dressing, Frank is part of
a love triangle, or perhaps quadran-
gle. Katherine Ashby's sweet
Mandy has suffered unrequited
love for Frank for years, yet he has
eyes only for Sherry, while Ben's
employee Kevin (Glen Gould) is
pining for Mandy.
The cast is good, though Serem-
ba's acting often seemed a little
affected.
Directed by Marion deVries, the
play gets off to a slow start but by
midway through the first act, is
rolling nicely.
One observation that troubled me
only slightly was the lack of on-
going traffic in the two places of
business. No one, with the excep-
tion of the people directly involved
in the scene ever entered the stores,
a situation highly unlikely in a
smalltown coffee shop.
The set design, by Allan Stich-
bury, was excellent, effectively
working in two scenes with only
seconds to change them.
Moodie is a talented playwright
and while Wilbur County Blues
may not be perfect it's close. Rec-
ognizable characters featured in an
imaginative, intelligent script
underline his ability as a writer.
And its youth-oriented storyline
is a gentle quake of rebellion shak-
ing the walls of Memorial Hall,
infusing with adolescent exuber-
ance a season that's off to a stellar
start.
C MITO4
KEB
TWIN CINEMA
SURROUND SOUND STEREO
1.1STOWEI, 291-30711
STARTS FRIDAY
CINEMA 1 7 & 9:30
Opening on North America Release
LETHAL
WEAPON 4
MEL GIBSON, DANNY GLOVER
CINEMA 2 7 & 9:00 PG
DR.
DOLITTLE
EDDIE MERPHY
The McMichael Sisters
consisting of Janice Ballagh, Karen
Schmalz, Judith Gaunt and Rhonda
McArter had the opportunity to
perform with Juno award winners
the Irish Descendants on Canada
Day. The two groups were hired to
perform at the Stephen Leacock
Museum in Orillia and the concert
was held under a tent alongside the
actual museum and original
boathouse of Stephen Leacock.
It was an hour and 15 minute-
show featuring original songs from
the Descendants latest CD. The
McMichael Sisters were featured
four times throughout their concert.
The sisters will also be
performing at the Home County
Library
program
begins
Continued from page 20
opportunity to introduce your
children to the library, and to
reading, in a fun and entertaining
way. Please visit your local library
for more information
The local program dates and
times are: Blyth Library, Tuesdays,
June 30 - Aug. 18 at 2:15 p.m.;
Brussels Library, Tuesday, June 30
- Aug. 18 at 4 p.m.; Wingham,
Library, Tuesdays, June 30 - Aug.
18, at 10:30 a.m.; Clinton Library,
Mondays, June 29 - Aug. 17 at
3:30 p.m.
Folk Festival in London with
Graham and Eleanor Townsend on
July 18 and 19 and will also be
conducting workshops throughout
the weekend.
Atwood Lions
Bingo
every Thursday
Doors open 6:30 p.m.
Starts at 7:00 p.m.
Looney bin 5862. plus
Jackpot $1,000.
on 54 calls
Pot of Gold $1,000.
on 58 calls