16 — Friday, October 29, 1999 — North Shore News | Curling to beat the Devil W The Black Bonspicl of Wullic MacCrimmon by W.O. Mitchell, produced by Presentation House Productions and directed by SG Lee. To Nov. 6. Reservations and information: 990-3474. Martin Millerchip Curtain Call martin@nsnews.com THE legend of Faust has been retold in 2s many different ways as the Devil has forms. But there is :srobably no more whimsical version than W.O. Mitchell’: Thr Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon. Canada’, premier storyteller grew up in the prairie heart- land of Canada that he would write about in Who has Seen the Wind and grew into Canadians’ hearts with his Jake and the Kid stories that ran on CBC radio for eight years in the *50s, The Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon also began life as _ a radio play but was not converted for the stage until atter . Mitchell won the Chalmer’s award for best Canadian play in 1976 (Back te Besfah) and Theatre Calgary director Rick McNair asked him what other plays he might have in the works, Ic became one of Calgary’s most popular plays and was _revived as recently as 1997 at Alberta Theatre Projects to cele- brate Calgary's staging of the Labatt’s Brier (that’s curling’s .- Stanley Cup final for those who don’t know). “.. The scripr still bears the wwo-voice by two-voice episodic hallmark of radio drama in its lengthy first act construction. We are in the Alberta town of Wildrose in the Depression _ years of the carly ’30s. A community of small-tow2 virtues and vices where most everyone know’s everybody clse’s business and the Charlie Brown’s in the population are named for their trade... “* Wallie MacCrimmon is the town’s cobbler and his little store is the setting for some gentle hot-stove debate oa the nature.of hellfire and damnation and the presence of a real, * live Devil in the world. . ~- Woullic is Presbyterian Scottish, and the brimstone sermons he heard as 2 boy have stuck with him. He's a realist, willing oO. accept what he sees in front of him and call it as he sees it. Finding the Devil in the form of one, Mr. O. Cloutic wanting @-pair.of curling boots repaired doesn’t phase him in the _| 9 OPENS NEXT WEEK! “| EICKETS ON SALE NOW! RAL ay pHone: (604) 280-4444 mae www.ticketmaster.ca “TICKET PRICES STARTING AT $14.75 Gervice charges and handling fees may apply} Uaeaas 5 NEWS photo Mike Wakefield “{3 this a rock | see before me, the handle teward my hand?” Macbeth (Sharman Munro) has trouble distin- guishing reality from hell as Pipe-fitting Charlie Brown (Frances Goerdon-Burnside) and Wultie icaCrimmon | (john Burnside) look on. slightest. Of course Cloutie is not passing through by chance. Wallic dreams of playing in the Brier and the Devil is willing to make a trade. Canny Scotsmen are good traders (not above a small bit of cheating, either) and Wullie may get what he dreams of although, of course, there will be immortal conse- quences... John Burnside is a truly wonderful Wuilie, capturing both the character’s bluntness and the naive, spontancous innocence that is at the heart of much of Mitchell's writing. I would rec- ommend this production for his performance alone, but there are other strengths here, as well as huge potential for the pro- duction to get even better. While there is some difference in approach by cast members as to how “big” to play the | characters, there are no weak links in the cast at all, Bur char- § acters like Tim Turnell’s treat suitable | epee S for landlubbers _— _ of all-ages,” + Newsday, New York: Reverend Pringle and Janis Harper’s Annie Brown and, well, everybody would help the play along if they just picked up the pace to something approaching real time. The onc clement in this production that jarred was the casting of women in men’s roles. Sharman Munro has an easier . ° time of it since the character of a confused Macbeth playing a“ curling game is hilarious in and of itself. But Frances Gordon's‘ : Pipe-fitting Charlie Brown was more of a problem for me. Gordon is a good actor and plays as excellent a man‘as [have > > ever scen — froma woman. Both her character’s physicality | and voice are carefully constructed and remain’ consistent, but” See Voices Page 38 This Fall © Visionworks has the: coolest Brand Name - Eyewear atthe — INTRODUCING; ACUVUE Ze. NOW WITH BETTER COMFORT & BETTER HANDLING. > BUY 3 BOXES, - GET 1 BOX FREE * Visit Stores for Full Detaiis, Some Restrictions May Apply. BRENTWOOD MALL (By Mariposa & Music Wortd) 299-0828 VANCOUVER CENTRE MALE Dewntown, under Scotia Tower 87-8822) FAIRCHILD PLAZA e72-0089.- Ticket Centers VISI “ac WORKS Fes con 1 HOUR EYEWEAR "* = *: . mt METROTOWN CENTRE CAPILANO MALL .. —Naa7-eere (Botween Sears & Bootiegger). - $30-0828