The mission of the Blyth Festival in tiny Blyth, Ontario, is to produce new Canadian work on rural themes. That might seem a tough nut to crack, but they’ve been at it successfully for 45 years now and the quality of the plays I’ve seen has been remarkable, writes Kelly Monaghan in his blog The Intrepid Monologue.
Not everything they produce is new, he writes. They regularly remount productions from earlier years that have stood the test of time. A case in point is Cakewalk, a very funny, old-fashioned, family-friendly comedy by Colleen Curran from 1984. It was Ms. Curran’s first professionally produced play and it is a remarkably solid piece for a tyro playwright.
Director Kelli Fox has wisely chosen not to update the play. A medley of pop hits from the era (courtesy of sound designer Verne Good) ushers us back to 1984 at the Canada Day celebration of a small Ontario town. The setting is a basement room where five of the fifteen contestants in the best cake competition will be sequestered awaiting the call for the judging.
Read his full review here.
Photo: Cakewalk, a delicious comedy that returns to the Blyth Festival stage after runs in 1984 and 1986, is on stage until Aug. 10. Ruby (Catherine Fitch) tries to trick Taylor (Nathan Howe) out of a key to the storeroom. Creative team includes: playwright Colleen Curran, director Kelli Fox, set and costume designer Laura Gardner, lighting designer Louise Guinand. Stage management by Christine Oakey and Daniel Oulton. Photo credit: Terry Manzo.