March, 2005 - Nr. 3
KW and Beyond
by Irena Syrokomla
Stratford for Asia –
fundraising for tsunami appeal.
"The magnitude of the destruction in southeast Asia and the long-needs of the people devastated by tsunami are almost unimaginable" said Richard Monette, Artistic Director of Stratford Festival. Within days the world community rushed with help and donations to assist the victims. Never before has such a catastrophe occurred, never before has such an overwhelming response to people in need been experienced. "Stratford for Asia" was only one of many cultural events to raise funds for the relief of the tsunami devastation, and it came together within days after the actual occurrence, -- no money was spent on advertising, as people learned about this concert through E-mail and community billboards. By January 30 the Festival Theatre was full!!
The emcee of the event was Peter Mansbridge, who had just returned from his trip to Asia, and was still shaken by what he had seen there. It was appropriate, as he indicated; after all he is one of the Stratford’s residents. The well-known actors of the Festival donated their time and talents: Cynthia Dale, Laird MacKintosh and Bruce Dow, among others. St.Mary’s Children’s Choir sang the opening and closing songs. The warmly applauded quartet of Local MPs including Mayor of Stratford, Dan Mathieson, sang "Brush Up Your Shakespeare". It is amazing what politicians can do when a good cause calls!
What can I say, the theatre was filled to capacity and
people lined up with further donations. There are, and still will be, other
concerts or fundraising opportunities for this cause. It will take years to
rebuild the devastated regions and we, the Western World, are so rich in
comparison to those nations. So, please, give generously.
Theatre & Company in Kitchener
– Mary’s Wedding –
Season after season Theatre & Company is evolving
into better and more ambitious productions. After some changes in the cast
and production team the theatre is progressing impressively, this time
staging a rather unusual Canadian play: Mary’s Wedding. It is very
Canadian, written by Stephen Massicotte (his first full scale play), set in
Saskatchewan in July 1920, the night before, you guessed it, Mary’s wedding.
![Janet Porter as Mary, Brett Christopher as Charlie [photo: Tom Vogel, courtesy of Theatre & Company]](503c-IS-a.jpg)
It
is directed by Stuart Scadron-Wattles and has only two actors, Janet Porter
as Mary and Brett Christopher as Charlie. The entire 1-¾ hour play with no
intermission rests on their shoulders, two monumental parts, demanding in
artistic expression and emotionally draining. They have no break, no moment
of relaxation and both carry it off with grace and respect for the smallest
detail. Both young actors are absolutely amazing.
The story is about a young girl, Mary, and a farm boy Charlie, how they met, fell in love, and the time when he enlisted with the Strathcona Regiment in the First World War. It is a mix of dreams and reminiscences, nightmares and letters. The horror of the war and battles, the mud, ditches, charges of the cavalry, dying solders and dying horses, shooting, praying and longing for home – somehow with the light and sound effects, and primarily the acting – all of it came through to the silent and transported back in time audience. Massicotte apparently travelled to France and explored the region where the battles took place and actually discovered the remains of the war from almost 90 years ago, shell holes, craters, rusted shell castings and graves. Far away from Vimy Ridge in February 2005 in Kitchener, Ontario, we all sat in dead silence experiencing the horror of that war and finally realizing that Charlie never returned to Saskatchewan to Mary, and that Mary’s wedding in 1920 was going to be to another man.
The next production of Theatre & Company is A Walk
in the Woods opening March 24 and running to April 16. The play was
nominated for Pulitzer Prize in 1987 and Tony Awards in 1988. Box office
phone number is 519-571-0928 or web site
www.theatreandcompany.org.
The Music Room
and Dr. Jan Narveson in Waterloo.Almost every weekend and often during the week as well there is music in the residence of Jan Narveson in Waterloo. The Music Room is located on the top of his garage and is large enough for about 50 music lovers, some of them very regular visitors, some coming only every now and then. It is a chamber music heaven or retreat, offering a very unique experience in music appreciation.
On January 20 evening Elena Klyucharova and Andrey Tikkhonov shared the program – I have written about them in February 2002 – Elena with her classical piano performance of Chopin and Schumann and Andrey playing jazz. They came from Ukraine and settled in Waterloo, giving concerts and teaching at the Beckett School of Music. Over three years later they feel more like they belong and their styles are showing progressive maturity.
Elena played a large Schumann’s Carnival Op.9 without the score and with practiced confidence, although at times a bit choppy. Chopin’s Grand Polonaise Brilliante was smoother, although it lacked necessary maturity; Elena is very young. Andrey entertained the audience with some well-known jazz pieces and some of his own compositions. He played in some local restaurants in the past couple of years and felt more comfortable talking to the gathering.
Outside the snow was getting deeper. How many more weeks till spring comes?
Future programs available at www.k-wcms.com or www.kwcms@yahoo.ca.
