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<p class=""><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"><span style="color:rgb(255,0,0)">•••••••••••••••••••••••••••</span><br></span></b></p><p class=""><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Stratford Festival, a season for
Celebration</span></b></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="line-height:14pt"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Roy Berko</span></p>
<p class="" style="line-height:14pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Palatino">(Member, American Theatre Critics
Association and Cleveland Critics Circle)</span></p>
<p class="" style="line-height:14pt"><span style="font-family:Palatino">On July 13, 1953, Sir Alec Guiness walked onto a stage
located in a large tent in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, and spoke the first
lines of what has become the internationally-recognized celebration of theatre
known as The Stratford Festival.<span style>
</span>Now housed in five theatres, offering plays and other entertainment from
late April to November, it is the largest repertoire theatre in North America.
The theatrical offerings are not only the writings of Shakespeare, but a
variety of classical and contemporary works, including musicals.</span></p>
<p class="" style="line-height:14pt"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="line-height:14pt"><span style="font-family:Palatino">This season, the first under Artistic Director Antoni
Cimolino, is dubbed, “the season to explore.”<span style> </span>The mission is for the audience to experience a number of
plays that complement and reflect on each other.<span style> </span>An added attraction is The Forum, “a series of special events
and activities ranging from concerts to comedy nights, from talks to debates to
film screenings and play readings.”</span></p>
<p class="" style="line-height:14pt"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="line-height:14pt"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Having just returned from the Festival, I offer these </span><span style="font-family:Palatino">c</span><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">apsule
judgments of some of the shows on the Stratford schedule:</span><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">MARY STUART—</span><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">MARY STUART is classical
theatre at its finest.<span style> </span>Seeing this
production is an experience which no theatre-goer should miss out on!<span style> </span>Bravo to the director, cast and
technical staff!</span></i><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"></span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">THE THREE
MUSKETEERS—</span><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">THE THREE MUSKETEERS is a melodramatic
delight filled with swashbuckling action, farcical interludes, and bigger than
life characters.<span style> </span>It tells
the triumphant tale of good winning out over evil.<span style> </span>The production should delight those who want to escape the
real world and live out the fantasies of days gone by.</span></i><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"></span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">WAITING FOR
GODOT—</span><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">As illustrated by the curtain call to WAITING FOR GODOT, this is a love-it
or hate-it experience.<span style> </span>While half
of the sold-out audience was on its feet shouting, “Bravo,” the remainder were
passively sitting in their seats, shaking their heads in confused <a name="_GoBack"></a>wonder.</span></i><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"></span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">FIDDLER ON
THE ROOF—</span><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> Those who are unfamiliar with real Eastern European Yiddish/Jewish
traditions, will find Shaw’s FIDDLER ON THE ROOF to be an acceptable, maybe
even a delightful experience.<span style>
</span>Those who know the customs should be outraged by Feore’s tradition-light
approach with her attempt to make the woes </span></i><span style="font-family:Palatino">of Anatevka and the<i style>
annihilation of Eastern Europe Jewry, into a universal story.</i><span style="color:black"></span></span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">MEASURE FOR
MEASURE--</span><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Shakespeare’s MEASURE FOR MEASURE gets a solid production at the
Stratford Festival.<span style> </span>Its message of
mercy, justice and their relationship to pride and humility is clearly
etched.<span style> </span>Those who like the
Shakespearean style of writing and plot development should be pleased with this
staging.</span></i></p>
<p class=""><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></i></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">TOMMY—</span><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Stratford’s
production of The Who’s TOMMY is outstanding.<span style> </span>The music, staging and performances command the audience to
watch and wraps them in a theatrical experience that they will long remember,
creating an “Amazing Journey.”<span style>
</span>Wow!</span></i></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">For complete
reviews of these shows go to:<span style> </span><a href="http://www.royberko.info">http://www.royberko.info</a></span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Other shows
on the Stratford schedule are:</span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">ROMEO AND
JULIET (May 1-October 19)-- Shakespeare’s tale of youthful passion which dares
to challenge generations of enmity in the most famous love story ever told.</span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">THE MERCHANT
OF VENICE--Shakespeare’s controversial look at intolerance and the vengeance it
provokes. (July 30-October 18)</span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">BLITHE
SPIRIT—Noel Coward’s tale of ghosts, second marriages, séances, mischief and
wit. (May 16-October 20)</span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">OTHELLO—Shakespeare’s
tragic tale of love, betrayal, vengeance and relationship destruction.<span style> </span>(August 4-October 19)</span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">TAKING
SHAKESPEARE—John Murrell’s celebration of the power of words, and the
surprising power of the heart as an aging professor tutors the university
president’s floundering son.<span style> </span>(July
13-September 22).</span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">THE THRILL—A
love story in which a successful lawyer and fiery activist take on a
right-to-die movement celebrity with consequences that neither has
anticipated.<span style> </span>(July 28-September
22).</span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">What’s the
lodging like?<span style> </span>Hotels, motels and
bed and breakfasts abound to fit any wallet.<span style> </span>I like<span style> </span>to stay
at bed and breakfasts where you get to meet new people and share your views on
the productions and life in general. My favorite is the well placed Avery House
</span><span style="font-family:Palatino">(<a href="http://www.averyhouse.com">http://www.averyhouse.com</a></span><span style="font-family:Palatino">), which is under new and wonderful management
(John and Amanda) who create breakfasts to satisfy the desires of the pickiest
eater.</span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="">Hungry?<span style> </span>For
moderate cost and high quality, try The Annex Cafe (38 Albert Street) and the
excellent Stratford Thai Cuisine (82 Wellington Street).<span style> </span>My favorite is Rene’s (20 Wellington
Street), a medium priced restaurant where the chef-owner holds sway in the
kitchen and Margaret greets you at the door.</p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Packages can
be arranged by <a href="http://www.theatrevacations.com/"><span style="color:black;text-decoration:none">www.theatrevacations.com</span></a>.<span style> </span>Stratford Escapes (</span><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"><a href="http://theatrevacations.com">theatrevacations.com</a>),</span><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> is an efficient way to make reservations.<span style> </span>For individual tickets call
800-567-1600 or go on-line to <a href="http://www.stratfordfestival.ca">http://www.stratfordfestival.ca</a>.</span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino">BTW…Stratford’s programs contain
excellent clarifying messages about the playwright or the play itself.<span style> </span>It’s worth getting to the theatre early
to read the material.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Helpful
hints: The ride from Cleveland is about six hours through Buffalo.<span style> </span>Go on-line to the festival for
directions.<span style> </span>The routings offered
by AAA and Yahoo maps are confusing and miles longer.<span style> </span>To satisfy border requirements carry your passport.<span style> </span>Nothing else will do.</span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class=""><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Go to Stratford, Canada!<span style> </span>Find out what lovely hosts Canadians
are, and see some great theatre!</span></i></p><p class=""><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"><span style="color:rgb(255,0,0)">••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••</span><br></span></i></p>
<p class=""> </p><p class=""><br></p>
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