I know it has been over two weeks since I last wrote in this space, and believe me, it was not by choice. My plan was to cover all the Shaw and Stratford plays I have had the pleasure of attending this summer before the Labour Day weekend. However, fate, as is often the case, rears his ugly head when you least expect it. So I will endeavour to get you caught up on the news of the month outside of the realm of music and the arts, by way of explanation for my absence. On the weekend, I will return to the regular schedule with more of the summer reviews from the Stratford Festival.
So there I was, back on August 12th, working at my day job at CKTB Radio, just back after a couple of weeks' vacation, and before I finished the morning run about 9 am, I started to feel decidedly unwell. There was considerable pain in my stomach and abdomen, and eventually it grew so great I managed to drive myself home and lie down for awhile. With no relief in sight, I called Telehealth Ontario and described the symptoms and was promptly advised to get to the nearest emergency as quickly as possible. This I did, but of course, still had to wait over three hours before being admitted. It seemed like an eternity, but I made it, and after describing the symptoms and the pain, it was at first thought I had appendix problems. Following an inconclusive result from the Ultrasound, an electrocardiogram was performed and then a catscan, before the problem was diagnosed. These procedures all came quickly, I might add, so once I was in emergency, things were handled with great speed and care.
Before I knew what was happening, Dr. Cranford, a senior surgeon at the St. Catharines General site appeared and told me the diagnosis: an incarcerated hernia, and I would be on the operating table less than an hour later, at exactly twelve midnight. If nothing else, his humour and easy going nature put me at ease and reduced the tension that had been building all evening long. I had had a hernia operation back in 1996 in the same area, so this would be a tricky operation, but he assurred me things would be fine. They were, of course, but the next day I was pretty tired, dopey and not in the mood to do much of anything. But the prognosis for recovery was good, and I should be going home in a few days. Or so we thought.
I was no sooner discharged a week ago Tuesday when I discovered, following dinner that evening, the rather large incision I was sporting from the operation was leaking badly. By Wednesday, it was apparent I had a pretty nasty infection, and so back to emergency I went once again, with a rather painful evening in store as they squeezed out as much of the infection as they could before sending me home with lots of antibiotics to keep me company for the next ten days. I returned home to my office last Friday, after a couple of days' convalescence with my dear friends Peter and Teresa Kellett, who looked after me extremely well during the transition from hospital to home.
So now, I am slowly getting back into some semblance of a routine, trying to keep on top of work that simply needs to be done before it gets out of hand, all the while keeping myself rested and medicated as much as possible. All of which explains why the blog entries and even my monthly newsletter have been on hiatus the past couple of weeks. I hope to get the August edition of the newsletter, Fine Music News, published tomorrow, and the website (www.finemusic.ca) updated on the weekend. If you still don't subscribe to the newsletter, send your email address to music@vaxxine.com, and I will add you to the mailing list.
Just a few thoughts before I rest for the remainder of the evening, in light of the events of the last couple of weeks. Even though the wait to be admitted to emergency seemed to take forever, I did find everyone from beginning to end to be very caring and attentive, and I have nothing but praise for everyone in the Niagara Health System who helped me through this the last couple of weeks. It is not an easy job, to be sure, but I cannot say enough for the care I received. That being said, it would be greatly appreciated if somebody - anybody - could please design a decent hospital gown that preserves what little dignity you have left once you're in there. Sheesh! Other than than, no complaints...even the food was fine, as far as I was concerned. Mind you, the fact I went over two days without even water meant I was ready for almost anything once I was reintroduced to food, but again, it was not all that bad.
Oh, and one other thing. Be thankful for small mercies: if you get a quiet room-mate while in hospital, thank your lucky stars. My room-mate for most of the stay hated the food, complained constantly about the apparent lack of air conditioning (it was fine) and most evenings hosted several family members around his bedside, often eating whatever they had brought in from outside. There were times I would like to have simply left the room. It could have been worse, I know, but really, sometimes I wonder about people. All you can do is make the best of a difficult situation, and that is what I did during my stay.
So that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. Not as much fun as attending summer concerts and theatre, but at least I am recovering well and really none the worse for wear. So thanks for your patience, and we'll return to more reviews from Shaw and Stratford in the coming days.
August 26th, 2009.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Two more shows at the Stratford Festival reviewed
This week, we'll look at the final two shows I attended the first week I was at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in early July: Edmond Rostand's 'Cyrano de Bergerac' and Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'. Both star one of the true 'names' of the Stratford Festival stage these days, Colm Feore, who, incidentally, told me years ago he still has fond memories of attending Ridley College here in St. Catharines many years ago.
Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac is almost always a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, as it is this year under the direction of Colm's wife, Donna Feore. Stratford last produced the show back in 1994, also starring Colm Feore, so it was interesting to compare the two productions. Overall, I think the 1994 edition was a bit more energetic; this one seems a little more restrained at times. It is still a good production, but like the 1994 edition, this one still pales in comparision to the 1983/84 productions staged at the Shaw Festival and starring Heath Lamberts in the title role and Marti Maraden as Roxanne. For some reason, those two productions seemed to better capture the magic that was indeed Cyrano, from his witty dialogue to the final salute to his "panache" as he called it, which signals the end of the show. Back then, Lamberts went down with a blaze of glory; this time Feore seems to go down almost with a whimper. I found myself hoping for a little more of a flourish in the final scene. But maybe that's just me.
Still, this is a production with lots to recommend it. Everyone knows the story by now: Cyrano loves the beautiful Roxanne, but she falls in love with young Christian de Neuvillette, who has to depend on Cyrano's lovely words to convey his feelings of love to a woman who craves words in the most romantic fashion possible. Actually, mere words won't do the job; she requests soliloquey after soliloquey describing his love for her. All courtesy of Cyrano, of course, except for one memorable occasion when young Christian decides to go it alone and finds himself hopelessly tongue-tied and Cyrano saves the day just in the nick of time.
As Cyrano, Feore is very good, as was the case in 1994; he shows great depth of character and commands the stage whenever he is on it, in spite of a very large cast surrounding him. Young Christian is played with genuine sincerity by St. Catharines' own Mike Shara, who is having a good year at Stratford this year. Amanda Lisman is a likeable Roxanne, but not the best I have seen. As pastry chef Ragueneau, Steve Ross generates much humour with the part.
So, the verdict? If not the best Cyrano I've seen, it is certainly well worth seeing and will not disappoint in any way. Just make sure you have a hanky or two around towards the end. Cyrano de Bergerac continues at the Festival Theatre until November 1st and rates a strong three out of four stars.
The second play we'll look at this week is Shakespeare's Macbeth, which I was told before leaving for Stratford last month was a bit of a disappointment. I didn't find that to be the case, actually, in spite of the fact director Des McAnuff has opted for a modern dress version of the play. With Julius Caesar this year, modern dress does not help the play at all; here, it all seems to work better, (as it is set in somewhat modern-day Africa), except of course in the final fight scene when modern-dress soldiers do battle with swords. In that final scene, McAnuff has Gareth Potter's Malcolm slay Colm Feore's Macbeth in rather gruesome fashion, decapitating him on the hood of an army jeep. A spade for a spade, perhaps?
There is quite a bit of technology at play in this Macbeth, but it really doesn't detract from the play at all and doesn't threaten to overtake the action. The action is very realistic for the most part, thanks to fight director Steve Rankin. But there is no escaping the brutal aspects of the story, and a case in point is the chilling death of Macbeth's son, which is pretty gruesome even for a play with so much death surrounding the characters.
As Macbeth's son, Kolton Stewart shows great promise as a young actor; we'll have to keep an eye on him. Peter Hutt has a surprisingly small role as one of Banquo's murderers; and Tom Rooney makes the most of his comical turn as the Macbeth's porter. But the main roles are really what matter in this show, of course, and Colm Feore is quite brilliant and complex as the madman Macbeth; his Lady Macbeth is Yanna McIntosh, who also shines in this production. The other performance of note is the dignified King Duncan of Geraint Wyn Davies, who managed to be killed off early in both productions the weekend I was there, in Macbeth and Julius Caesar. Oh well, you make the best of your time on stage, and Geraint certainly does.
Macbeth continues at the Festival Theatre until October 31st and is just shy of a full four out of four stars; due to complications with staging modern dress Shakespeare, I'll give it a highly-recommendable three out of four stars.
August 8th, 2009.
Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac is almost always a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, as it is this year under the direction of Colm's wife, Donna Feore. Stratford last produced the show back in 1994, also starring Colm Feore, so it was interesting to compare the two productions. Overall, I think the 1994 edition was a bit more energetic; this one seems a little more restrained at times. It is still a good production, but like the 1994 edition, this one still pales in comparision to the 1983/84 productions staged at the Shaw Festival and starring Heath Lamberts in the title role and Marti Maraden as Roxanne. For some reason, those two productions seemed to better capture the magic that was indeed Cyrano, from his witty dialogue to the final salute to his "panache" as he called it, which signals the end of the show. Back then, Lamberts went down with a blaze of glory; this time Feore seems to go down almost with a whimper. I found myself hoping for a little more of a flourish in the final scene. But maybe that's just me.
Still, this is a production with lots to recommend it. Everyone knows the story by now: Cyrano loves the beautiful Roxanne, but she falls in love with young Christian de Neuvillette, who has to depend on Cyrano's lovely words to convey his feelings of love to a woman who craves words in the most romantic fashion possible. Actually, mere words won't do the job; she requests soliloquey after soliloquey describing his love for her. All courtesy of Cyrano, of course, except for one memorable occasion when young Christian decides to go it alone and finds himself hopelessly tongue-tied and Cyrano saves the day just in the nick of time.
As Cyrano, Feore is very good, as was the case in 1994; he shows great depth of character and commands the stage whenever he is on it, in spite of a very large cast surrounding him. Young Christian is played with genuine sincerity by St. Catharines' own Mike Shara, who is having a good year at Stratford this year. Amanda Lisman is a likeable Roxanne, but not the best I have seen. As pastry chef Ragueneau, Steve Ross generates much humour with the part.
So, the verdict? If not the best Cyrano I've seen, it is certainly well worth seeing and will not disappoint in any way. Just make sure you have a hanky or two around towards the end. Cyrano de Bergerac continues at the Festival Theatre until November 1st and rates a strong three out of four stars.
The second play we'll look at this week is Shakespeare's Macbeth, which I was told before leaving for Stratford last month was a bit of a disappointment. I didn't find that to be the case, actually, in spite of the fact director Des McAnuff has opted for a modern dress version of the play. With Julius Caesar this year, modern dress does not help the play at all; here, it all seems to work better, (as it is set in somewhat modern-day Africa), except of course in the final fight scene when modern-dress soldiers do battle with swords. In that final scene, McAnuff has Gareth Potter's Malcolm slay Colm Feore's Macbeth in rather gruesome fashion, decapitating him on the hood of an army jeep. A spade for a spade, perhaps?
There is quite a bit of technology at play in this Macbeth, but it really doesn't detract from the play at all and doesn't threaten to overtake the action. The action is very realistic for the most part, thanks to fight director Steve Rankin. But there is no escaping the brutal aspects of the story, and a case in point is the chilling death of Macbeth's son, which is pretty gruesome even for a play with so much death surrounding the characters.
As Macbeth's son, Kolton Stewart shows great promise as a young actor; we'll have to keep an eye on him. Peter Hutt has a surprisingly small role as one of Banquo's murderers; and Tom Rooney makes the most of his comical turn as the Macbeth's porter. But the main roles are really what matter in this show, of course, and Colm Feore is quite brilliant and complex as the madman Macbeth; his Lady Macbeth is Yanna McIntosh, who also shines in this production. The other performance of note is the dignified King Duncan of Geraint Wyn Davies, who managed to be killed off early in both productions the weekend I was there, in Macbeth and Julius Caesar. Oh well, you make the best of your time on stage, and Geraint certainly does.
Macbeth continues at the Festival Theatre until October 31st and is just shy of a full four out of four stars; due to complications with staging modern dress Shakespeare, I'll give it a highly-recommendable three out of four stars.
August 8th, 2009.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Two hits and a miss at the Shaw Festival
It has been a busy few days as the summer music festival season continues throughout parts of Ontario; just this past weekend I was up in Elora for the next-to-last performance for the Elora Festival's 30th anniversary season. The Sicilian Jazz Project was the headliner on Saturday evening, with the group formed a few years ago by Michael Occhipinti taking to the stage at the Gambrel Barn. The performance was certainly worthy of a larger audience; however, probably the smallest crowd for the festival at the Gambrel Barn turned out for the show. That's a pity, as we heard some pretty interesting music-making by some pretty inventive individuals. For me, the highlight actually came Sunday morning when I attended the Choral Mattins at St. John's Anglican Church in Elora, and a sort of thank you performance by the Elora Festival Singers directed by Noel Edison. I jumped at the chance to see the choir in a more 'natural' setting, and I was not disappointed. What a wonderful group of voices and what a lovely church! The icing on the cake was a very humourous and loving serman from Anglican Bishop Ralph Spence. A thoroughly delightful weekend!
Now, on to the business of the day: some more reviews of plays currently onstage at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and I think we can title this one "Two hits and a miss"...
First up, we have 'Born Yesterday', opening at the Festival Theatre in May and continuing until November 1st. So far this season, this is the runaway hit, as well it should be. Director Gina Wilkinson handles things with just the right touch of humour; her cast respond with some exceptional performances. The play, by Garson Kanin, is the first of his works to be presented at the Shaw Festival, and after this one I suspect it won't be the last. Kanin began writing the play at the end of the Second World War to show his disgust of what he witnessed in Washington, what with lobbyists, big dealers and influence peddlars. Oddly enough, the play became even more popular following the Watergate scandal in the early 70's.
The art-deco set, depicting a ritzy hotel lobby, is just spectacular. The costumes are equally so. But the performances are what bring this story to life, and we have some dandy performances here. Thom Marriott, now a Shaw regular after several seasons at Stratford, is the likeable but nasty thug Harry Brock, who is used to buying his influence in Washington from the likes of Senator Norval Hedges, played by Lorne Kennedy. Marriott gives a performance that truly makes Brock larger than life, which is exactly what's needed for the play. His lady, Billie Dawn, is expertly played by Deborah Hay, first as a ditzy airhead but later, as she is 'schooled' by Paul Verrall, played by Gray Powell, she comes into her own as she realizes what Harry is really up to. You find yourself rooting for her at the end as she basically gives Harry what he deserves.
Born Yesterday continues to November 1st at the Festival Theatre and is a highly-recommended three out of four stars.
Next up, also at the Festival Theatre until October 11th, is Bernard Shaw's 'The Devil's Disciple', written at the peak of his powers in 1897. Certainly, this is one of his better plays, and he gives the actors lots of meat to sink their collective teeth into. Director Tadeusz Bradecki offers some nice touches here, and the simple set is large enough to fill the large space at the Festival Theatre without overwhelming us. Very nicely done.
Once again, we have some very strong performances here, including Donna Belleville as Mrs. Timothy Dudgeon; Lucy Campbell as Essie; Jonathan Widdifield as Christy Dudgeon and Fiona Byrne as Judith Anderson. She is married to the Reverend Anthony Anderson, played by Peter Krantz, who I think is a little miscast here, and who falls for Richard Dudgeon, the black sheep of the family. Not at first, mind you, but only after British soldiers find him visiting with Judith and rather than cause problems for her, he gallantly surrenders to the soldiers who think they have the Reverend. Hard to believe they could be so easily deceived, but such is life, and theatre, I suppose. As Richard Dudgeon, Evan Buliung puts in a spirited and believable performance and proves to be quite engaging. One could see how Judith Anderson could be drawn to him in spite of his earlier reputation within the community. One of my favourite characters is General John Burgoyne, played with great affection by Jim Mezon.
Overall, a very strong show and one of the better offerings at the Shaw Festival this year. It rates a strong three out of four stars, and continues at the Festival Theatre until October 11th.
The final offering we'll look at this week is the musical 'Sunday in the Park with George', with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It plays at the smaller Royal George Theatre until November 1st.
Director Alisa Palmer marshalls a pretty talented cast here and does what she can, but overall, the musical just seems to fall flat, with a story line that appears pretty trying at times and characters you can't really feel a whole lot for here. Still, it is beautifully staged and well performed; it just doesn't seem to really come together. Sunday in the Park with George tells the story of two Georges, actually, two artists one hundred years apart. One George is based on the famous 19th century impressionist painter Georges Seurat; the other George is a completely fictional character, a 20th century installation artist and inventor and the great-grandson of Seurat.
Sunday in the Park with George dates from 1984, and although it won the Pulitzer Prize for drama, it appears to be a little dated, moreso than other Sondheim offerings we have enjoyed in the last couple of years at Shaw and elsewhere. Indeed, last season's 'A Little Night Music', about a decade older than this musical, seems a much richer musical score and more likeable characters. Some of the better performances here include the happy return of Steven Sutcliffe to Shaw in the title role of George; Julie Martell as Dot and Marie; Sharry Flett as the Old Lady and Blair Daniels, and Jay Turvey as Jules and Bob Greenberg.
This will be a challenging musical for many people accustomed to lighter musical fare, so it won't appeal to everyone, but if you want a real challenge it might just be for you. I give it a two out of four stars. Sunday in the Park with George continues until November 1st at the Royal George Theatre.
August 5th, 2009.
Now, on to the business of the day: some more reviews of plays currently onstage at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and I think we can title this one "Two hits and a miss"...
First up, we have 'Born Yesterday', opening at the Festival Theatre in May and continuing until November 1st. So far this season, this is the runaway hit, as well it should be. Director Gina Wilkinson handles things with just the right touch of humour; her cast respond with some exceptional performances. The play, by Garson Kanin, is the first of his works to be presented at the Shaw Festival, and after this one I suspect it won't be the last. Kanin began writing the play at the end of the Second World War to show his disgust of what he witnessed in Washington, what with lobbyists, big dealers and influence peddlars. Oddly enough, the play became even more popular following the Watergate scandal in the early 70's.
The art-deco set, depicting a ritzy hotel lobby, is just spectacular. The costumes are equally so. But the performances are what bring this story to life, and we have some dandy performances here. Thom Marriott, now a Shaw regular after several seasons at Stratford, is the likeable but nasty thug Harry Brock, who is used to buying his influence in Washington from the likes of Senator Norval Hedges, played by Lorne Kennedy. Marriott gives a performance that truly makes Brock larger than life, which is exactly what's needed for the play. His lady, Billie Dawn, is expertly played by Deborah Hay, first as a ditzy airhead but later, as she is 'schooled' by Paul Verrall, played by Gray Powell, she comes into her own as she realizes what Harry is really up to. You find yourself rooting for her at the end as she basically gives Harry what he deserves.
Born Yesterday continues to November 1st at the Festival Theatre and is a highly-recommended three out of four stars.
Next up, also at the Festival Theatre until October 11th, is Bernard Shaw's 'The Devil's Disciple', written at the peak of his powers in 1897. Certainly, this is one of his better plays, and he gives the actors lots of meat to sink their collective teeth into. Director Tadeusz Bradecki offers some nice touches here, and the simple set is large enough to fill the large space at the Festival Theatre without overwhelming us. Very nicely done.
Once again, we have some very strong performances here, including Donna Belleville as Mrs. Timothy Dudgeon; Lucy Campbell as Essie; Jonathan Widdifield as Christy Dudgeon and Fiona Byrne as Judith Anderson. She is married to the Reverend Anthony Anderson, played by Peter Krantz, who I think is a little miscast here, and who falls for Richard Dudgeon, the black sheep of the family. Not at first, mind you, but only after British soldiers find him visiting with Judith and rather than cause problems for her, he gallantly surrenders to the soldiers who think they have the Reverend. Hard to believe they could be so easily deceived, but such is life, and theatre, I suppose. As Richard Dudgeon, Evan Buliung puts in a spirited and believable performance and proves to be quite engaging. One could see how Judith Anderson could be drawn to him in spite of his earlier reputation within the community. One of my favourite characters is General John Burgoyne, played with great affection by Jim Mezon.
Overall, a very strong show and one of the better offerings at the Shaw Festival this year. It rates a strong three out of four stars, and continues at the Festival Theatre until October 11th.
The final offering we'll look at this week is the musical 'Sunday in the Park with George', with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It plays at the smaller Royal George Theatre until November 1st.
Director Alisa Palmer marshalls a pretty talented cast here and does what she can, but overall, the musical just seems to fall flat, with a story line that appears pretty trying at times and characters you can't really feel a whole lot for here. Still, it is beautifully staged and well performed; it just doesn't seem to really come together. Sunday in the Park with George tells the story of two Georges, actually, two artists one hundred years apart. One George is based on the famous 19th century impressionist painter Georges Seurat; the other George is a completely fictional character, a 20th century installation artist and inventor and the great-grandson of Seurat.
Sunday in the Park with George dates from 1984, and although it won the Pulitzer Prize for drama, it appears to be a little dated, moreso than other Sondheim offerings we have enjoyed in the last couple of years at Shaw and elsewhere. Indeed, last season's 'A Little Night Music', about a decade older than this musical, seems a much richer musical score and more likeable characters. Some of the better performances here include the happy return of Steven Sutcliffe to Shaw in the title role of George; Julie Martell as Dot and Marie; Sharry Flett as the Old Lady and Blair Daniels, and Jay Turvey as Jules and Bob Greenberg.
This will be a challenging musical for many people accustomed to lighter musical fare, so it won't appeal to everyone, but if you want a real challenge it might just be for you. I give it a two out of four stars. Sunday in the Park with George continues until November 1st at the Royal George Theatre.
August 5th, 2009.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
From Stratford to Elora to Niagara-on-the-Lake...
This holiday weekend, while some head out to cottages and campgrounds in search of good weather and relaxation, others stay closer to home and take in the myriad of cultural events going on in their own backyards or just a short drive away. It is almost impossible to fit everything in, but we do try, and this weekend there is no shortage of events to enjoy.
The Music Niagara concerts continue at various locations in Niagara-on-the-Lake, with a highlight being Monday evening with Between the Wars: Coward & Company in Words and Music, with performances featuring former Shaw Artistic Director Christopher Newton as well as Jennifer Phipps, Craig Winters, Atis Bankas and Luke Pomorski. It gets underway Monday evening at 7:30 and is just one of many great musical events in the Music Niagara schedule over the next week. Meantime, the Elora Festival's 30th anniversary season wraps up this weekend with several performances, included a performance called the Sicilian Jazz Project at the Gambrel Barn this evening I look forward to attending. It has been a stellar lineup, including performances by Natalie McMaster, Dawn Upshaw and a host of others since the 10th of July. Elora has always been one of my favourite destinations for great performances and wonderul scenery. Meantime, the Stratford Summer Music series got underway this past week and continues throughout much of August with several events going on every day in many venues around town, and even on the streets. For detailed listings of all these events and many more, log on to my website at www.finemusic.ca and go to the Calendar page for everything you need to know. The page is updated weekly, so it is always very current.
On Wednesday I began my summer reviews from Shaw, which will continue for the next several weeks; starting today and continuing the next several Saturdays, I'll review some of the offerings at the Stratford Festival I've had the pleasure of seeing this season.
Overall, the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, as it is now properly known, has been generally strong this season, in spite of early season ticket sales running below expectations resulting in some late-season performances being cancelled. The picture now seems quite a bit brighter, and that is great news for a festival that has struggled in the past but now seems to be doing quite well, thank you very much.
My first performance of the season at the beginning of July was Anton Chekhov's 'Three Sisters', in a version by Susan Coyne. Martha Henry directs this production with a sure hand, and gets great performances by several cast members, including Lucy Peacock keeping things in check as Masha; Dalal Badr as a beautifu Irina; Kelli Fox as a typically strong Natasha; and Peter Hutt doing what he always does, but having some fun here as Kulygin. Notable as well are James Blendick as Doctor Chebutykin and Juan Chioran as a quirky Solynoy.
Chekhov may be fun for actors, as noted in the program notes, but not always for the audience, as you really have to work to get into this play and try to understand and even like some of these characters. The story, of course, centres around the Three Sisters of the title, Lucy Peacock (Masha), Irene Poole (Olga) and Dalal Badr (Irina) and their seemingly hopeless existence in rural Russia at the turn of the last century. Life goes on, but takes several twists and turns before the conclusion of the play.
The sets and costumes are very attractive, thanks to designer John Pennoyer, and the 'Orchestra' of Marc Desormeaux, playing balaika, mandolin, guitar, zither, accordion, piano, percussion and flute is very atmospheric. Although the music is all recorded, he is truly a one-man band!
This is a play that won't appeal to everyone, but for those familiar with Chekhov they likely won't be disappointed. I give it a recommendable three out of four stars. Three Sisters plays at the Tom Patterson Theatre until October 3rd.
Also at the Tom Patterson Theatre, playing through to October 2nd is Ben Jonson's 'Bartholomew Fair', directed by Antoni Cimolino, and designed by Carolyn M. Smith. This is essentially a Young Company production (now known as the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Music in fact) with a huge cast. The younger members are joined by some excellent veterans of the festival, such as Brian Tree as Humphrey Wasp and Juan Chioran as Zeal-of-the-Land Busy, a Puritan Elder. Tom McCamus has a great time as the eavesdropping Justice Overdo and Kelli Fox and Lucy Peacock each put in good turns as Joan Trash and Ursla, respectively. With Peacock especially, the comic role is a welcome departure for her, as she dons a fat suit and has several comic moments because of it.
Ben Jonson lived from 1572 to 1637 and this is the first time his work has been presented at the festvial. It is a brilliant satire of class and character in Jacobean London, but isn't the least bit bitter. Rather, it is a fun romp through the Bartholomew Fair, populated by all sorts of unsavoury characters. The well-to-do in the story get their comeuppance in the end, and even Justice Overdo, on a secret mission to see what "enormities' are being perpetrated there, will not escape unscathed.
The cast is huge for this production and it is a little hard to keep up with all the action going on onstage, but it all works out in the end. Don't make it your only production at Stratford this year, but if you want to sample Ben Jonson's work, you could do much worse. Bartholomew Fair continues at the Tom Patterson Theatre until October 2nd and rates a three out of four stars.
The final play we'll look at today is Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, playing at the Avon stage until October 31st. Director is James McDonald and the designer is David Boechler. I mention that right away because although I like the nice, clean sets and overall design of the production, suitable for the timelessness of the story, I had problems with the modern dress costuming which depicts really no time period at all. The costumes are a real mish-mash of designs, and the battle scene uniforms look like something out of a Star Trek episode.
The problem I often have with modern-dress Shakespeare, especially the ones with several battle scenes as is the case here, is the fact the dialogue refers to killing with swords, yet they are all running around the stage with what look like sub-machine guns. So all those guns and not one is fired...but when you have to kill someone, out comes a daggar...such is modern dress Shakespeare!
Once you get past all that, the cast is a strong one, let by a gentlemanly Caesar in Geraint Wyn Davies and a rather profound Brutus in Ben Carlson. This isn't quite his stellar Hamlet of last year, but Carlson delivers a good performance here all the same.
The story, of course, is so well known it need not be repeated here; suffice it to say the production is faithful to the text in spite of the rather odd choices for costuming and design for the battle scenes. Because of those factors, even though the cast is strong, this Julius Caesar only rates a two out of four stars.
That's it for this week from Stratford; some more reports from Shaw come Wednesday.
August 1st, 2009.
The Music Niagara concerts continue at various locations in Niagara-on-the-Lake, with a highlight being Monday evening with Between the Wars: Coward & Company in Words and Music, with performances featuring former Shaw Artistic Director Christopher Newton as well as Jennifer Phipps, Craig Winters, Atis Bankas and Luke Pomorski. It gets underway Monday evening at 7:30 and is just one of many great musical events in the Music Niagara schedule over the next week. Meantime, the Elora Festival's 30th anniversary season wraps up this weekend with several performances, included a performance called the Sicilian Jazz Project at the Gambrel Barn this evening I look forward to attending. It has been a stellar lineup, including performances by Natalie McMaster, Dawn Upshaw and a host of others since the 10th of July. Elora has always been one of my favourite destinations for great performances and wonderul scenery. Meantime, the Stratford Summer Music series got underway this past week and continues throughout much of August with several events going on every day in many venues around town, and even on the streets. For detailed listings of all these events and many more, log on to my website at www.finemusic.ca and go to the Calendar page for everything you need to know. The page is updated weekly, so it is always very current.
On Wednesday I began my summer reviews from Shaw, which will continue for the next several weeks; starting today and continuing the next several Saturdays, I'll review some of the offerings at the Stratford Festival I've had the pleasure of seeing this season.
Overall, the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, as it is now properly known, has been generally strong this season, in spite of early season ticket sales running below expectations resulting in some late-season performances being cancelled. The picture now seems quite a bit brighter, and that is great news for a festival that has struggled in the past but now seems to be doing quite well, thank you very much.
My first performance of the season at the beginning of July was Anton Chekhov's 'Three Sisters', in a version by Susan Coyne. Martha Henry directs this production with a sure hand, and gets great performances by several cast members, including Lucy Peacock keeping things in check as Masha; Dalal Badr as a beautifu Irina; Kelli Fox as a typically strong Natasha; and Peter Hutt doing what he always does, but having some fun here as Kulygin. Notable as well are James Blendick as Doctor Chebutykin and Juan Chioran as a quirky Solynoy.
Chekhov may be fun for actors, as noted in the program notes, but not always for the audience, as you really have to work to get into this play and try to understand and even like some of these characters. The story, of course, centres around the Three Sisters of the title, Lucy Peacock (Masha), Irene Poole (Olga) and Dalal Badr (Irina) and their seemingly hopeless existence in rural Russia at the turn of the last century. Life goes on, but takes several twists and turns before the conclusion of the play.
The sets and costumes are very attractive, thanks to designer John Pennoyer, and the 'Orchestra' of Marc Desormeaux, playing balaika, mandolin, guitar, zither, accordion, piano, percussion and flute is very atmospheric. Although the music is all recorded, he is truly a one-man band!
This is a play that won't appeal to everyone, but for those familiar with Chekhov they likely won't be disappointed. I give it a recommendable three out of four stars. Three Sisters plays at the Tom Patterson Theatre until October 3rd.
Also at the Tom Patterson Theatre, playing through to October 2nd is Ben Jonson's 'Bartholomew Fair', directed by Antoni Cimolino, and designed by Carolyn M. Smith. This is essentially a Young Company production (now known as the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Music in fact) with a huge cast. The younger members are joined by some excellent veterans of the festival, such as Brian Tree as Humphrey Wasp and Juan Chioran as Zeal-of-the-Land Busy, a Puritan Elder. Tom McCamus has a great time as the eavesdropping Justice Overdo and Kelli Fox and Lucy Peacock each put in good turns as Joan Trash and Ursla, respectively. With Peacock especially, the comic role is a welcome departure for her, as she dons a fat suit and has several comic moments because of it.
Ben Jonson lived from 1572 to 1637 and this is the first time his work has been presented at the festvial. It is a brilliant satire of class and character in Jacobean London, but isn't the least bit bitter. Rather, it is a fun romp through the Bartholomew Fair, populated by all sorts of unsavoury characters. The well-to-do in the story get their comeuppance in the end, and even Justice Overdo, on a secret mission to see what "enormities' are being perpetrated there, will not escape unscathed.
The cast is huge for this production and it is a little hard to keep up with all the action going on onstage, but it all works out in the end. Don't make it your only production at Stratford this year, but if you want to sample Ben Jonson's work, you could do much worse. Bartholomew Fair continues at the Tom Patterson Theatre until October 2nd and rates a three out of four stars.
The final play we'll look at today is Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, playing at the Avon stage until October 31st. Director is James McDonald and the designer is David Boechler. I mention that right away because although I like the nice, clean sets and overall design of the production, suitable for the timelessness of the story, I had problems with the modern dress costuming which depicts really no time period at all. The costumes are a real mish-mash of designs, and the battle scene uniforms look like something out of a Star Trek episode.
The problem I often have with modern-dress Shakespeare, especially the ones with several battle scenes as is the case here, is the fact the dialogue refers to killing with swords, yet they are all running around the stage with what look like sub-machine guns. So all those guns and not one is fired...but when you have to kill someone, out comes a daggar...such is modern dress Shakespeare!
Once you get past all that, the cast is a strong one, let by a gentlemanly Caesar in Geraint Wyn Davies and a rather profound Brutus in Ben Carlson. This isn't quite his stellar Hamlet of last year, but Carlson delivers a good performance here all the same.
The story, of course, is so well known it need not be repeated here; suffice it to say the production is faithful to the text in spite of the rather odd choices for costuming and design for the battle scenes. Because of those factors, even though the cast is strong, this Julius Caesar only rates a two out of four stars.
That's it for this week from Stratford; some more reports from Shaw come Wednesday.
August 1st, 2009.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
First reviews of Shaw Festival plays this season
Well we're almost at the end of July, and once again I am running late getting my Shaw and Stratford reviews published. At least I'm consistent! So without further adieu, let's get started; we'll begin with Shaw this time and on Saturday we'll take a look at the first offerings at Stratford.
A couple of weeks ago, I reported on the untimely death of actor/director/playwright Neil Munro; I would be remiss if I did not let you know there is a celebration of his life and work to be held Monday afternoon, August 10th at 3 pm at the Festival Theatre. His work at the Shaw Festival began in 1988 and saw him present some of his most creative work; those who worked with him and perhaps knew the man best will be on hand to celebrate Mr. Munro, who died July 13th at the relatively young age of 62. He will be missed.
Now, the main attraction for many this year at the Shaw Festival is the staging of all ten of the one-act plays collected under the title 'Tonight at 8:30'. The plays are grouped in three sets of three, with the odd play out being Star Chamber, offered as the Lunchtime Theatre show this season. You can also, if you have the constitution for it, catch all ten plays in a single day at a Coward Marathon; if you are so inclined, you can check out the Shaw website at www.shawfest.com for dates and times. I might have opted for that at one time, but now I am happy to take Coward in small doses spread throughout the summer.
I have always loved Noel Coward, and in fact his plays have always done well at Shaw: from Private Lives in 1983/84 to This Happy Breed and The Vortex in later years, Shaw just seems to have a way with presenting the plays of Noel Coward, surely one of the great playwrights of the last century in my estimation.
So it was with much anticipation and only a little trepidation I approached the first group of three Coward plays, known collectively as Brief Encounters at the Festival Theatre. Would three short, one-act plays, each one different from the next, satisfy the audience and keep them interested throughout the evening as a full length play might? The answer, I found, is probably not. There is nothing wrong with any of the plays; it just doesn't seem there's enough time to fully develop the characters and the story-lines as you would with a one-play evening. For me, I was left wanting at the end of all three one-act plays under appropriate title 'Brief Encounters'.
Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell handles the directorial duties here and does her mighty best to make all three plays as enjoyable as possible. Yet, they seem to fall flat somewhat. The first of the trio, Still Life, takes place in the refreshment room of Milford Junction Railway Station in 1936, and involves a budding romance between two married people who meet quite by chance in the refreshment room. Yes, extramarital affairs are nothing new, of course, so the subject matter is certainly relevant. The way it is presented is nice enough and the cast is strong, but somehow, it just doesn't work. Patrick Galligan is his gentlemanly best as Alec Harvey, who falls for Deborah Hay's Laura Jesson, a married woman who is torn between wifely duty and the desire to see how 'the other half' lives. Hay does a nice job with her role, as does Corrine Koslo as grumpy old Myrtle Bagot, who runs the refreshment room. Her love-interest, Albert, is played with much fun by Thom Marriott.
The second part of Brief Encounters is a more upbeat play called We Were Dancing, again featuring Galligan and Hay in a dream-dancing sort of love affair that appears not the least bit likely. But it is fun watching them glide around the floor, almost lighter than air! The third part is the weakest of the three, I found, and the least interesting to watch: Hands Across the Sea. It is well acted, again with Galligan and Hay in central roles, but in the end, I found I wasn't really warming up to the characters. Goldie Semple is definitely worth watching as The Honorable Clare Wedderburn, by the way.
Overall, Brief Encounters is nice enough, but three one-act plays do not an evening make. It continues until the 24th of October, and rates a two out of four stars.
The second installment in Tonight at 8:30, directed by former Artistic Director Christopher Newton, is 'Play, Orchestra, Play', staged at the smaller Royal George Theatre and running through to October 31st. Overall, Newton manages to pull this one off with a little more success than Maxwell's Brief Encounters, but again, the three plays grouped here are a little uneven.
Things begin with Red Peppers, a fun, at times noisy look at what might have gone on backstage at a small provincial town in England circa 1936. What we see onstage in that show is all happy and fun, of course, hiding the bitter rivalries and clashes of egos that often occur backstage. This one melds the onstage and backstage antices with considerable skill and wit, and it is helped considerably by a very strong cast. Jay Turvey and Patty Jamieson are the song-and-dance team known as Red Peppers, and they clash backstage with Mr. Edwards, played by Steven Sutcliffe and Kyle Blair's Bert Bentley. Life likely was - and probably still is - this way in some theatres; pity we couldn't be backstage more often for some of the fireworks!
Round Two of 'Play, Orchestra, Play' is Fumed Oak, set in a small home in South London in 1936. Steven Sutcliffe triumphantly returns to the Shaw Festival this year with a wonderful performance here as henpecked Mr. Gow. His wife, played by Patty Jamieson, is in for a shock on this particular day when the action plays out. For once, a guy gets to tell off the lady, and escape in one piece. It really is fun and quite fascinating to watch.
Round Three, Shadow Play, takes place in a beautiful bedroom in Mayfair in 1936. A dream sequence following a drug overdose brings a couple, the Gayforths, closer together at the conclusion. It is very nicely done, with splendid performances by Julie Martell and Steven Sutcliffe as Mrs. and Mr. Gayforth, and Jay Turvey and Patty Jamieson in strong supporting roles. Of the three, Fumed Oak is the standout, but all three fare somewhat better than 'Brief Encounters' so I rate 'Play, Orchestra, Play' a three out of four stars.
Finally, for the second year in a row, the Lunchtime offering is a hilarious romp that almost steals the show from the rest of the Tonight at 8:30 stablemates. Titled 'Star Chamber', it is Coward's clever and satirical look at actors and their egos. He is poking fun at his friends and colleagues here, and I suspect fellow actors relish the opportunity to join in on the fun. Kate Lynch expertly directs the show, which begins slowly and then builds to a specacular climax, as the actors try to get organized and join forces to help out the Actors' Orphanage, a charitable entity Coward was president of in real life for many years. Raising money with this lot is next to impossible!
Standout performances abound here, with everyone having a grand old time; Of particular note are Guy Bannerman as star-struck and staid J. M. Farmer, Neil Barclay as the loud and gregarious actor Johnny Bolton, and Fiona Byrne as the blond bombshell Xenia James. But my favourite role is that of Violet Vibart, played with great refinement by one of my favourite actresses, Sharry Flett, who quietly, elegantly, joins in the fun while being - dare we say? - very sexy in the bargain.
'Star Chamber' is by far the funniest installment of the Tonight at 8:30 collection, and is a definite must-see at the Shaw Festival this year. It runs at the Royal George Theatre until October 11th, and rates a very strong three out of four stars. The final group of three plays in the Tonight at 8:30 canon is 'Ways of The Heart' and I will report on that in about a month's time when I get a chance to catch the late-season offering at the Court House Theatre.
July 29th, 2009.
A couple of weeks ago, I reported on the untimely death of actor/director/playwright Neil Munro; I would be remiss if I did not let you know there is a celebration of his life and work to be held Monday afternoon, August 10th at 3 pm at the Festival Theatre. His work at the Shaw Festival began in 1988 and saw him present some of his most creative work; those who worked with him and perhaps knew the man best will be on hand to celebrate Mr. Munro, who died July 13th at the relatively young age of 62. He will be missed.
Now, the main attraction for many this year at the Shaw Festival is the staging of all ten of the one-act plays collected under the title 'Tonight at 8:30'. The plays are grouped in three sets of three, with the odd play out being Star Chamber, offered as the Lunchtime Theatre show this season. You can also, if you have the constitution for it, catch all ten plays in a single day at a Coward Marathon; if you are so inclined, you can check out the Shaw website at www.shawfest.com for dates and times. I might have opted for that at one time, but now I am happy to take Coward in small doses spread throughout the summer.
I have always loved Noel Coward, and in fact his plays have always done well at Shaw: from Private Lives in 1983/84 to This Happy Breed and The Vortex in later years, Shaw just seems to have a way with presenting the plays of Noel Coward, surely one of the great playwrights of the last century in my estimation.
So it was with much anticipation and only a little trepidation I approached the first group of three Coward plays, known collectively as Brief Encounters at the Festival Theatre. Would three short, one-act plays, each one different from the next, satisfy the audience and keep them interested throughout the evening as a full length play might? The answer, I found, is probably not. There is nothing wrong with any of the plays; it just doesn't seem there's enough time to fully develop the characters and the story-lines as you would with a one-play evening. For me, I was left wanting at the end of all three one-act plays under appropriate title 'Brief Encounters'.
Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell handles the directorial duties here and does her mighty best to make all three plays as enjoyable as possible. Yet, they seem to fall flat somewhat. The first of the trio, Still Life, takes place in the refreshment room of Milford Junction Railway Station in 1936, and involves a budding romance between two married people who meet quite by chance in the refreshment room. Yes, extramarital affairs are nothing new, of course, so the subject matter is certainly relevant. The way it is presented is nice enough and the cast is strong, but somehow, it just doesn't work. Patrick Galligan is his gentlemanly best as Alec Harvey, who falls for Deborah Hay's Laura Jesson, a married woman who is torn between wifely duty and the desire to see how 'the other half' lives. Hay does a nice job with her role, as does Corrine Koslo as grumpy old Myrtle Bagot, who runs the refreshment room. Her love-interest, Albert, is played with much fun by Thom Marriott.
The second part of Brief Encounters is a more upbeat play called We Were Dancing, again featuring Galligan and Hay in a dream-dancing sort of love affair that appears not the least bit likely. But it is fun watching them glide around the floor, almost lighter than air! The third part is the weakest of the three, I found, and the least interesting to watch: Hands Across the Sea. It is well acted, again with Galligan and Hay in central roles, but in the end, I found I wasn't really warming up to the characters. Goldie Semple is definitely worth watching as The Honorable Clare Wedderburn, by the way.
Overall, Brief Encounters is nice enough, but three one-act plays do not an evening make. It continues until the 24th of October, and rates a two out of four stars.
The second installment in Tonight at 8:30, directed by former Artistic Director Christopher Newton, is 'Play, Orchestra, Play', staged at the smaller Royal George Theatre and running through to October 31st. Overall, Newton manages to pull this one off with a little more success than Maxwell's Brief Encounters, but again, the three plays grouped here are a little uneven.
Things begin with Red Peppers, a fun, at times noisy look at what might have gone on backstage at a small provincial town in England circa 1936. What we see onstage in that show is all happy and fun, of course, hiding the bitter rivalries and clashes of egos that often occur backstage. This one melds the onstage and backstage antices with considerable skill and wit, and it is helped considerably by a very strong cast. Jay Turvey and Patty Jamieson are the song-and-dance team known as Red Peppers, and they clash backstage with Mr. Edwards, played by Steven Sutcliffe and Kyle Blair's Bert Bentley. Life likely was - and probably still is - this way in some theatres; pity we couldn't be backstage more often for some of the fireworks!
Round Two of 'Play, Orchestra, Play' is Fumed Oak, set in a small home in South London in 1936. Steven Sutcliffe triumphantly returns to the Shaw Festival this year with a wonderful performance here as henpecked Mr. Gow. His wife, played by Patty Jamieson, is in for a shock on this particular day when the action plays out. For once, a guy gets to tell off the lady, and escape in one piece. It really is fun and quite fascinating to watch.
Round Three, Shadow Play, takes place in a beautiful bedroom in Mayfair in 1936. A dream sequence following a drug overdose brings a couple, the Gayforths, closer together at the conclusion. It is very nicely done, with splendid performances by Julie Martell and Steven Sutcliffe as Mrs. and Mr. Gayforth, and Jay Turvey and Patty Jamieson in strong supporting roles. Of the three, Fumed Oak is the standout, but all three fare somewhat better than 'Brief Encounters' so I rate 'Play, Orchestra, Play' a three out of four stars.
Finally, for the second year in a row, the Lunchtime offering is a hilarious romp that almost steals the show from the rest of the Tonight at 8:30 stablemates. Titled 'Star Chamber', it is Coward's clever and satirical look at actors and their egos. He is poking fun at his friends and colleagues here, and I suspect fellow actors relish the opportunity to join in on the fun. Kate Lynch expertly directs the show, which begins slowly and then builds to a specacular climax, as the actors try to get organized and join forces to help out the Actors' Orphanage, a charitable entity Coward was president of in real life for many years. Raising money with this lot is next to impossible!
Standout performances abound here, with everyone having a grand old time; Of particular note are Guy Bannerman as star-struck and staid J. M. Farmer, Neil Barclay as the loud and gregarious actor Johnny Bolton, and Fiona Byrne as the blond bombshell Xenia James. But my favourite role is that of Violet Vibart, played with great refinement by one of my favourite actresses, Sharry Flett, who quietly, elegantly, joins in the fun while being - dare we say? - very sexy in the bargain.
'Star Chamber' is by far the funniest installment of the Tonight at 8:30 collection, and is a definite must-see at the Shaw Festival this year. It runs at the Royal George Theatre until October 11th, and rates a very strong three out of four stars. The final group of three plays in the Tonight at 8:30 canon is 'Ways of The Heart' and I will report on that in about a month's time when I get a chance to catch the late-season offering at the Court House Theatre.
July 29th, 2009.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
The importance of buying local and supporting the local economy
I sometimes finding myself writing and talking about the topic of buying local following an incident or two that makes me wonder just how important it is for people to support their local merchants. Usually, it is just given lip service in a society that values the almighty dollar above all else, or so it seems.
My online music business, A Web of Fine Music (www.finemusic.ca) is based in St. Catharines, in the heart of Niagara, and a lot of my clientele lives in the area. I always welcome business from wherever they may be; that is the wonderful thing about the World Wide Web - the entire world is one community, or so we are told. But I have always believed your local clientele is paramount, and you should do all you can to make them think of you rather than anyone else when they are thinking of buying your product or service.
I always try to practice what I preach, and buy locally whenever possible. Just this morning, for example, I was at or local farmer's market, as I am every Saturday morning, and I bought corn, strawberries, baklava, meat and granola - all grown or produced locally and sold by market vendors who have a vested interest in my satisfaction with their product. My good friend, food writer Lynn Ogryzlo, states buying locally puts money back into the local economy and helps more than just the merchant you bought the product from. I couldn't agree more.
Sure, I will buy something elsewhere if I happen to find what I am looking for while I am in that particular area; I don't deny that. But most often, I feel I should be supporting our local businesses on an ongoing business, as it helps the local economy, and besides, I build a relationship with that business that most often pays dividends in value-added benefits that come from being a valued customer. It is perfectly natural to show more interest in a regular customer who depends on you than someone who is just shopping around for the best price. If you can get that new customer, fine. But often you don't and you find yourself spending a great amount of time working on something that fails to generate a sale.
This time of year is the slowest for my business; it doesn't get busier again until the fall months and people spend more time indoors. So now, especially, I want to hold on to every customer I can and develop new relationships whenever I can. That is why this week, two customers irked me because in spite of saying up front they would rather buy locally, they decided to take their business elsewhere, outside the community. You either believe in buying locally or you don't. You can't just pretend; you have to act on it.
The one case I will relate here involves a customer who found a CD he wanted on Amazon and wondered if I had it. I didn't, but spent the time working on getting the CD for him after he stated up front he would rather buy locally rather than through a website outside the area. Fair enough; I want to make that sale and show him I am worthy of his business. But when the time came to actually make the sale and I could order the CD in for him, the response was he would be going to Toronto and would see if he could get it there. Why? My price was a little higher than the price quoted on Amazon.
Now, I don't charge for shipping on my orders and even provide free delivery to local residents, but this person would rather drive to Toronto and see if he can get the same CD there at a better price. What is the logic in that? I hope he was planning to go to Toronto anyway, as that is a lot of gas to waste to save a little money. But as they say, the customer is always right, so I wished him well and told him I would still be here the next time he needs something. Let's hope so.
I am finding it increasingly difficult to do business in a world where only the price matters. Service, in spite of what people say, is not that important anymore. I offer a specialized service that is not designed to compete with the Wal Marts of the world; rather, I fill a niche that needs filling. I hope over the balance of this year, more people feel the desire to take advantage of the niche I fill.
Buy local. It just makes sense. And your neighbours might just thank you for it!
July 25th, 2009.
My online music business, A Web of Fine Music (www.finemusic.ca) is based in St. Catharines, in the heart of Niagara, and a lot of my clientele lives in the area. I always welcome business from wherever they may be; that is the wonderful thing about the World Wide Web - the entire world is one community, or so we are told. But I have always believed your local clientele is paramount, and you should do all you can to make them think of you rather than anyone else when they are thinking of buying your product or service.
I always try to practice what I preach, and buy locally whenever possible. Just this morning, for example, I was at or local farmer's market, as I am every Saturday morning, and I bought corn, strawberries, baklava, meat and granola - all grown or produced locally and sold by market vendors who have a vested interest in my satisfaction with their product. My good friend, food writer Lynn Ogryzlo, states buying locally puts money back into the local economy and helps more than just the merchant you bought the product from. I couldn't agree more.
Sure, I will buy something elsewhere if I happen to find what I am looking for while I am in that particular area; I don't deny that. But most often, I feel I should be supporting our local businesses on an ongoing business, as it helps the local economy, and besides, I build a relationship with that business that most often pays dividends in value-added benefits that come from being a valued customer. It is perfectly natural to show more interest in a regular customer who depends on you than someone who is just shopping around for the best price. If you can get that new customer, fine. But often you don't and you find yourself spending a great amount of time working on something that fails to generate a sale.
This time of year is the slowest for my business; it doesn't get busier again until the fall months and people spend more time indoors. So now, especially, I want to hold on to every customer I can and develop new relationships whenever I can. That is why this week, two customers irked me because in spite of saying up front they would rather buy locally, they decided to take their business elsewhere, outside the community. You either believe in buying locally or you don't. You can't just pretend; you have to act on it.
The one case I will relate here involves a customer who found a CD he wanted on Amazon and wondered if I had it. I didn't, but spent the time working on getting the CD for him after he stated up front he would rather buy locally rather than through a website outside the area. Fair enough; I want to make that sale and show him I am worthy of his business. But when the time came to actually make the sale and I could order the CD in for him, the response was he would be going to Toronto and would see if he could get it there. Why? My price was a little higher than the price quoted on Amazon.
Now, I don't charge for shipping on my orders and even provide free delivery to local residents, but this person would rather drive to Toronto and see if he can get the same CD there at a better price. What is the logic in that? I hope he was planning to go to Toronto anyway, as that is a lot of gas to waste to save a little money. But as they say, the customer is always right, so I wished him well and told him I would still be here the next time he needs something. Let's hope so.
I am finding it increasingly difficult to do business in a world where only the price matters. Service, in spite of what people say, is not that important anymore. I offer a specialized service that is not designed to compete with the Wal Marts of the world; rather, I fill a niche that needs filling. I hope over the balance of this year, more people feel the desire to take advantage of the niche I fill.
Buy local. It just makes sense. And your neighbours might just thank you for it!
July 25th, 2009.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Some weekend musings, and remembering Neil Munro
There are plenty of ideas running through my head today, as a busy arts weekend is underway for your humble scribe. I have two shows up at the Shaw Festival today, In Good King Charles's Golden Days and The Devil's Disciple, and one at Stratford tomorrow: Ever Yours, Oscar, the one-man show with Brian Bedford. So I'll likely begin posting reviews next week when I get a break from both Festivals for a couple of weeks.
First off, I must confess I never know who is going to be reading my ramblings on this blog, and a response in any form is always welcome. Earlier this week, I heard from the St.Catharines & Area Arts Council, of which I am a proud member, and they read my earlier entry from June 6th titled A Tale of Two Downtowns, regarding the ongoing revitalization efforts of both downtown Niagara Falls and downtown St. Catharines. I was invited to come into their offices for a short interview today (Saturday) on a series on arts and culture being developed with Cogeco Community Television for airing this fall, hosted by Ted Mouradian. Hopefully I remained lucid through the interview; I don't know if I have the nerve to watch it when it airs in a few months! But thanks to all of the people at the Arts Council for their support and consideration of my views.
The second thing I want to talk about is the untimely passing earlier this week of actor, playwright and director Neil Munro at the relatively young age of 62. It was quite a shock to all of us who have known Neil and admired his challenging productions over the years, most notably for the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, where he was Resident Director for many years. He had been ill for a little while, and resigned his position with Shaw earlier this year when it became obvious things were not getting any better.
I first came to know Neil through his productions at Shaw, of course, and usually enjoyed what he presented, although they usually leaned towards the dark side of the theatrical spectrum. But he did have a sense of humour, too, and some of his lighter offerings were great fun to watch as well. He had started work on An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley last season before giving it up around March, as planning was underway. Although he didn't see the production through - Jim Mezon took over and completed the task - the end result still managed to have the Neil Munro stamp on it nevertheless. It was a most enjoyable show.
I first got to know Neil personally through my association for many years with the music store Downtown Fine Music, located in downtown St. Catharines until early 2003. Neil used to come into the store on occasion, looking for music for both him and a production he was working on at that particular moment. I remember one year he needed something really swinging in a big-band style, and although the store didn't have quite what he wanted, I recommended one of my old treasured albums still in mint condition, performed by Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra, if you can believe it. It was - and is - a textbook example of great swing band arrangements of classical tunes, with the charts written by Billy May back around 1961. Sadly, the recording has never made it to CD, but Neil loved the recording and had his production wizards at Shaw transfer the disc and splice it just the way he wanted it, and the music introduced each act of the show he was working on that year. I can't for the life of me remember the show now, although the set design was spectacular and the show was great. He even gave me a small credit in the program that year!
I didn't see too much of Neil after that, but I always admired his probing, challenging work, and all of us will feel the loss of a talented director, actor and playwright for some time to come. I wish I could have known him better; but some is better than none, they way, and I am thankful for the experience I had.
Thanks, Neil, and know you will be missed!
July 18th, 2009.
First off, I must confess I never know who is going to be reading my ramblings on this blog, and a response in any form is always welcome. Earlier this week, I heard from the St.Catharines & Area Arts Council, of which I am a proud member, and they read my earlier entry from June 6th titled A Tale of Two Downtowns, regarding the ongoing revitalization efforts of both downtown Niagara Falls and downtown St. Catharines. I was invited to come into their offices for a short interview today (Saturday) on a series on arts and culture being developed with Cogeco Community Television for airing this fall, hosted by Ted Mouradian. Hopefully I remained lucid through the interview; I don't know if I have the nerve to watch it when it airs in a few months! But thanks to all of the people at the Arts Council for their support and consideration of my views.
The second thing I want to talk about is the untimely passing earlier this week of actor, playwright and director Neil Munro at the relatively young age of 62. It was quite a shock to all of us who have known Neil and admired his challenging productions over the years, most notably for the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, where he was Resident Director for many years. He had been ill for a little while, and resigned his position with Shaw earlier this year when it became obvious things were not getting any better.
I first came to know Neil through his productions at Shaw, of course, and usually enjoyed what he presented, although they usually leaned towards the dark side of the theatrical spectrum. But he did have a sense of humour, too, and some of his lighter offerings were great fun to watch as well. He had started work on An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley last season before giving it up around March, as planning was underway. Although he didn't see the production through - Jim Mezon took over and completed the task - the end result still managed to have the Neil Munro stamp on it nevertheless. It was a most enjoyable show.
I first got to know Neil personally through my association for many years with the music store Downtown Fine Music, located in downtown St. Catharines until early 2003. Neil used to come into the store on occasion, looking for music for both him and a production he was working on at that particular moment. I remember one year he needed something really swinging in a big-band style, and although the store didn't have quite what he wanted, I recommended one of my old treasured albums still in mint condition, performed by Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra, if you can believe it. It was - and is - a textbook example of great swing band arrangements of classical tunes, with the charts written by Billy May back around 1961. Sadly, the recording has never made it to CD, but Neil loved the recording and had his production wizards at Shaw transfer the disc and splice it just the way he wanted it, and the music introduced each act of the show he was working on that year. I can't for the life of me remember the show now, although the set design was spectacular and the show was great. He even gave me a small credit in the program that year!
I didn't see too much of Neil after that, but I always admired his probing, challenging work, and all of us will feel the loss of a talented director, actor and playwright for some time to come. I wish I could have known him better; but some is better than none, they way, and I am thankful for the experience I had.
Thanks, Neil, and know you will be missed!
July 18th, 2009.
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