Appleby College - Argus Yearbook (Oakville, Ontario Canada)

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was to see a family looking after its ancestors; there was a bed full of them all rubbing toes together. Andrew Crawford-Brown, David Mutimer and Robert Evans complained, wise-cracked and laughed together. Perhaps the most enthusiastic actor, after Willy Wonka himself, was Evan Wood (storekeeper) who leaped rejoicing all over his store after selling the last golden ticket to Charlie. However, Noel Peacock (Mayor) showed great gusto and flair when introducing the lucky ticket holders. Although the hours of preparation had been long, the show was enjoyed by all who participated since they all con- tributed to its success. What will our imaginative producer, Mr. Boyd, go for next year? An Alice in Wonderland, a Narnia, or a Star Wars theme? I am sure we all look forward to it eagerly. Mr. Nightingaie Otoe m ■ —

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V i!l m t I This must be the greatest team effort of all since the time and talents of about fifty people combined to entertain two evening and two matinee audiences. And what a com- bination of talents it was! An ingeniously designed set requiring many hours of work from the carpenters, painters and scene- shifters created a fantasy setting in which Willy Wonka and his Oompa-Loompas could chujn out their river of chocolate and their scrumptious confections. What enthusiasm they showed in their work, and how proudly Mark Duncan (Willy Wonka) showed his visitors round his establishment. To complete the staging and to help the actors play their parts effectively, the costumes were a kaleidescope of colour, and the make-up required much skill from those who were producing old people and fictional beings from exotic lands. The performance, however, did more than merely fascinate with clever staging. The children who won golden tickets , giving them the right to tour the chocolate factory, did appear to be rather a nasty lot. Danny Moses (Augustus Gloop) was greedy, Julie Royse (Veronica Salt) had to have everything. Daphne Humphreys (Violet Beauregarde) did live in a gummy world and Neil Atkinson (Mike Teevee) really did seem infatuated by the T.V. What a relief it was to have the wholesome, smiling and rather impish James Mairs (Charlie Bucket) to restore our confidence in the world of children. Of course his wholesomeness grew out of his environment, a happy family of modest means whose three generations hved closely together. Steven Petersen (Grampa Joe) was a wise old man, and Tom Benson (Mr. Bucket) and Michael Lewis (Mrs. Bucket) were a homely and contented couple. How unusual it 199

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i c : FB Ki I I ) I f I ; ! At nearly 5:30 in the evening of Friday, March 15, a sluggish stream of parents and boys flowed into the gym. While the audience was settling down, behind the conred curtain there was a flurry of activity, actors reciting their lines and cues, gymnasts honing their skills and a general mass of people preparing for the upcoming Talent Night. The curtain rose; or rather, parted to reveal a black and rather weatherbeaten piano played by a variety of budding I musicians for nearly ten minutes while the audience broke in with perfunctory applause at designated intervals. The piano gave way to a number of other instrvunents, including violin, flute and clarinet. There followed two impassioned recitations ranging from The Slave to The Seven Ages of Man by William Shakespeare, performed by Mark Duncan and James Mairs. As a complete change of pace, the audience was treated to a fine exhibition of tumbling and Talent Night acrobatics by the Junior Gym Team. An unforgettable rendition of Paul Bunyan ' s French- Canadian ancestry followed. This was attempted by an enthusiastic if inexperienced Grade Four class. A Monty Python sketch {Pepall and Pepall) followed to provide us with something completely different . Next on the programme came a hilarious short play named the Crimson Coconut. It was aptly billed as an absurdity in one act and was a complete success. A magician, Michael PepaU, then followed, baffling many with his illusory powers. Under the auspices of Mr. Boyd the mime troupe delighted us with stories vdthout words, ranging from Kitchen Madness to Human Bacon and imitations of various teachers. The last performance was that of the Black Light Troupe whose performance was amusing with its limiinous white clothing. Talent Night was enjoyable both for most of the audience and for al l the boys who performed. 201