Appleby College - Argus Yearbook (Oakville, Ontario Canada)

Page 96 text:

The Pirates of Penzance This year ' s operatic production was one which was enjoyed by actors and audience ahke. It combined a mixture of Uvely comedy with excellent orchestral and singing talent. The production played on three consecutive nights and attained a quality of professionalism which we have come to expect and appreciate at Appleby. The final night proved to be an ac- cum ulation of excellence, but this is not to say that the first two nights were below par; rather, in a production of this nature, the actors are invigorated on the final night, because it is the last chance they will have to perform. The plot, as typical of Gilbert and Sullivan, was simple yet in many places provided very humorous situations. One such situation involved the police hiding from the threatening pirates in the ruins of a chapel.

Page 95 text:

actor is one of the most infectious things in a theatrical per- formance. It was gladdening to see, in the light of these good performances, a more-than-competent sup- porting cast. Where in many productions the stage belongs to just one or two actors who then shine even brighter in contrast to the flawed portrayals of whomever can be found to fill in the other roles, the students in the less important parts supported the show confidently and ef- fectively. One of the best of these actors turned out to be Frank Merrill, playing the self- important, self-made Lord Green. The success of Merrill ' s characterization is even more striking when one recognizes that Lord Green doesn ' t crack a smile in the whole play - and when have you seen a smile ABSENT from Frank ' s face for more than a few seconds? Andrew Newell was very good in his short ap- pearance, as was Doug Campbell in his longer one. Touches were added that contributed to the finish of the play; the constant interplay between the three committee members and their secretary Miss Hills, played by Catriona Wilson, and the sim- plicity and winning honesty of the jockey played by Nigel Day and of the trainer played by Paul Manifould: all these were sup- plementary effects that produced the final polish of the show. Apart from difficulty in hearing parts of the dialogue - a problem caused by moving onto the stage of the Oakville Centre without knowing it well enough - and the urmecessary and exaggerated banality of the attachment bet- ween Captain Trevor Jones and Lady Ursula Itchin, the audience ' s evening was entirely pleasurable and, at times, hilarious. One hopes that this standard and this feeling of ease and confidence on the stage, will continue in future productions. Mr. Snowden

Page 97 text:

The stage, being almost bare, obviously held no hiding place for the huge frame of the Sergeant of Police, brilliantly played by Alasdair Halliday. By posing as a majestic-looking statue, he evaded discovery by the pirates and subsequently the owner of the chapel. Most of the Sergeant ' s men huddled on the floor, except for the rather conspicuous member of the force, Mr. Larsen, who deemed it fit to stand facing a corner of the stage. All in all, it was a very amusing sequence of events performed with reassuring coolness. The highlight of the evening, which most will agree, was the performance of the Major- General by Mr. Josselyn. His presence on the stage seemed to electrify the audience, while his befuddled manner kept us very well entertained. Complimenting this comical side of the produc- tion, were great performances by Bill Dietrich as Frederick and Susan Aldridge as Mabel. Dietrich played the role of a young man destined to the life of a pirate because of his high moral standards. Combining his ability to make his presence felt on the stage and his talent for singing, he did more than justice to the leading role. Susan Aldridge played a most convincing young maiden deeply in love with Frederick. Not to be forgotten in all this praise are the yoimg ladies who played the parts of the Major- General ' s daughters. Although their dainty voices were sometimes lost in the large playhouse, their well-timed movements and virtuous ap- pearances allowed them success in their roles. Ann Jensen as Ruth and Alan Keil as Samuel sang with strong, confident voices and are too to be congratulated in their supporting roles. Also not to be left out are the pirates, captained by a domineering Chris Wood, who gave a strong background soimd for many of the songs. It is often a glamorless job to be in a chorus while others get the praise, but the operetta could not have been so successful without it. Special thanks should go to Mr. DesRoches who worked hard and long hours to put on a first-class production. And of course the people behind the scenes who are too numerous to mention here, but without whose help very l ittle would have been accomplished. Congratulations to all on a memorable performance. Eraser McKenzie