The Citizen, 2003-07-02, Page 27THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2003. PAGE 27.
Entertainment fa Leisure
Theatre review
Rousing start for Blyth season
A pirate’s tale
Clockwise from top: Chuck Herriott, Kelly McIntosh, Randy
Hughson, Gil Garratt, Sean Dixon appear in a scene from
The Perilous Pirate’s Daughter which opened the Blyth
Festival’s 29th season on Friday night. (Photo submitted)
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
Blyth Festival’s 29th season got
off to a rousing start on Friday night
with the premiere of The Perilous
Pirate's Daughter by Anne Chislett
and David Archibald. If Canadian
history had been this much fun in
school everyone would have gotten
an A.
The Perilous Pirate’s Daughter is
a musical story of Canada’s Bill
Johnston, the scourge of the water
ways from Lake Ontario and the St.
Lawrence, his three sons and daugh
ter Kate. Colourful characters from
redcoats and rebels to Widow
Chambers and General Rensselaer
Van Rensselaer, keep things moving.
Typical of Chislett’s work the
audience has a lot to digest. Amidst
what at times seems confused chaos
on stage are lines that amuse and
inform. Never one to take her audi
ence for granted, Chislett manages
to put intelligence into comedy.
For his part musical director
Archibald’s original songs show him
to be a diverse composer, the tunes
ranging from lovely ballads to
campy, light-hearted fun.
The cast is large with some taking
on multiple roles including lead
Randy Hughson, who plays not just
pirate Bill, but his nemesis Colonel
McNab of the Upper Canada Militia.
It would be hard to find anything
wrong with any of the performers.
Who could criticize people clearly
having the time of their lives.
Hughson is solid, equally at ease in
the dramatic scenes as the comedic.
Kelly McIntosh is charming as
Kate, while Gil Garratt, Sean Dixon
and Chuck Herriott back her up as
brothers James, Napolean and
Decatur, respectively.
Bob Nasmith as Doolittle and
Karen Skidmore as the Widow pro
vide strong back-up, while Mark
Harapiak as Lieutenant Elmsley of
the British Navy, has the challenge
for the most part of playing straight
man to this gaggle of rebels, rousers
and misfits.
For opening night, the role of
Rensselaer was played by Festival
Director Eric Coates, stepping in for
Bruce Dow. And if it can be a tough
job sometimes for an understudy to
fill the shoes, it is going to be inter
esting to see what Dow can do when
he gets back into Rennsselaer’s.
Coates, who also directed the pro
duction was a charming fool who
garnered laughs and sympathy. His
love song to Kate in the second act
brought the house down.
Kerry Gage, who choreographed
the show, kept it simple but fun.
Certain scenes may have been a bit
chaotic, but one supposes were
reflective of the roughness of the
people and the era.
Musically, McIntosh and
Skidmore have the most pleasing
voices though Coates and Hughson
do surprise in two tender ballads.
The goal to producing The
Perilous Pirate’s Daughter was to
bring family, musical entertainment
to Blyth. It is a different experience
than anything presented befoie and
succeeds on those levels. What a
great start to Coates’s first season as
AD and to Chislett’s return to full-
time playwright.
BUY? SELL? TRY CLASSIFIED |
★ BUCK & DOE ★
for
★ Ann Stephenson
★
★
&
Jeff Lotz
Listowel Kin Station
Music by DJ
9:00-1:00
$6.00 advance
$8.00 at the door
Age of majority
Lunch provided
Call for tickets
Mike 887-9496
Jenn 584-0978
Sifter almost 40 years of service...
AL "The Breadman" FINCH
is retiring...
frleaAe fo-in ua {,tvt a
OPEN HOUSE/
RETIREMENT
PARTY
Saturday, July 12
Huron Fish & Game
Club, Clinton
3 pm - 8 pm ** Best Wishes Only **
Bursting with colours
The Bainton Gallery began the 2003 season with a glorious
display of watercolours by contemporary landscape artist
Maurice Stubbs. While visitors mingled, Stubbs chatted with
Linda Girard of Grand Bend. (Janice Becker photo)
www.medicalert.ca
1-800-668-1507
Con illationsCong validations
Jordan Andrew
graduated June 7th, 2003
from Wilfrid Laurier
University Waterloo,
receiving an Honours
Bachelor of Arts Degree in
Geography. Attending the
convocation were proud
parents Allan & Linda
Andrew of Lucknow;
Grandmothers Catherine
Andrew, Lucknow and Idella
Wilson of Brussels and
Special Friend
Andrea Hiller of Bluevale.
Best Wishes & All Our Love,
______Mom, Dad, Adel, Mary Joan & Holly_______"
PARK THEATRE
violence
coarse language
violence
coarse language
tT LIVES UPTO
www.movielinks.ca long distance?! -800-265-3438
GODERICH 524-7811________J|
"TERMINATOR 31 IS A SEI
ITS PREDECESSORS^,