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PAGE 20 - WATERt'OO CHRONICLE. WEDNESDAY, APRSL 9, t986 Ballet de Montreal Eddy Toussaint will appear at UW Humanities Theatre for one performance Saturday, April 19, at 8 p.m. Ballet at Humanities Tickets for Ballet de Montreal Eddy Tous- Mars Zavaros Chronicle Special The pilgrimage to Stratford will soon begin. Once there, audiences will be treated to Shakespeare's plays, musical productions, and exhibitions of the creative arts. However, there's more to it than that, there's always a story behind such an endeavour. Now in newly published, "Stratford" - Vol. I and Vol. li, such a story is told with a candid peek behind the scenes. John Pettigrew, critic/historian, began writing the book in 1970 but due to his untimely death in 1977, it was completed by theatre critic Jamie Portman who added five years to the intended scope. The volumes cover the careers of the first director, Tyrone Guthrie to the years of Robin Phillips and John Hirsch's first two seasons in 1981-82. Each chapter deals with one or two years at the festival from 1953-1982. - Volume I begins with the opening of the Festival July 13th, 1953 and that first glorious summer season. This was Canada's first professional Shake- speare festival so aptly timed for a culture hungry post-war Canada. This new venture for founder Tom Patterson was an adventure into the unknown. Canadians were not accustomed to seeing Shakespeare performed live by professional actors, at best they had la- boriously studied the bard's plays in school and been forced to memorize passages engrained in memories yet today. It was a glorious Summer beyond their wildest dreams. The crowds loved the trumpet fanfare, the booming cannons, and the billow- ing tent, swollen nightly with a 1,477 full house. Stratford spruced up too - new boutiques, art galleries and guest houses appeared. More swans and picnic tables were purchased and The World of Books the whole town geared up to accommodate the madding crowd of actors and tourists. Strat- ford's bonus was a much needed financial boost. That Summer saw Richard III and All's Well that Ends Well mounted, a musical performance by the Stratford Elizabethan Singers and an exhibition of Canadian fine arts. Over the years visiting British actors joined aspiring Canadian ones on stage - Douglas Rain, Irene Worth, Alex Guinness, Amelia Hall, William Hutt, Douglas Campbell, Fran- cis Hyland, Kate Reid and Christopher Plummer all became household names. Information in these books covers both fair and foul. Financial problems, bad reviews, and box office downers are faithfully present- ed. Several chapters cover the highlights of the stormy career of director Robin Phillips from the time this vibrant actor/director arrived in Stratford in 1975 until his departure in 1981. It seems Phillips had the uncanny knack of inspiring and unnerving actors. He ruffled the feathers of everyone at one time or another. Impulsive, creative, passionate and always outspoken, he told William Hutt his nose was too big, which Hutt said he always knew any- way. fi was at this time, in 198081 such a personal and financial crisis arose that the Stratford Festival was almost destroyed. 7 A The 34th season for the Stratford Festival opens May 19th.,it continues to offer enter- tainment for many tastes. The old favorite Hamlet will be performed with brillant new actor Brent Carver. If your taste doesn't run to Shakespeare, jazz vocalist Betty Carter and singer/guitarist Bruce Cockburn will be there Stratford - Vol. I - 1953-67. 198 p. Vol. ll - 1968-82. 314 p. John Pettigrew and Jamie Portman. Macmillan. saint are $13.50 for adults and $11 for students and seniors and can be purchased at the Humanities Theatre Box Office, by calling 885-4280 or at any BASS ticket outlet. _iCi.;--gi.-.1'..,-C----iffbt" FREE (with this coupon) CONESTOGA KNIVES LIMITED 614 COLBY DRIVE WATERLOO, ONTARIO N2V 1A2 M', v, , , Bring in any 2 items and "fe receive the 2nd item sharpened FREE (with this coupon) epEIUNG sh A oot toctodiog our mum ”one. arm , coupon 90! out” - - Act. ”/66 - 746-1690