Archived information for December, 2009
Adrian Baker in Bermuda
Posted December 17, 2009 under ArtsCP Activities
Adrian Baker's Bermuda inspired work will feature in a new exhibition at the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art. See the article for more information.
Adrian Baker in Bermuda
Posted December 17, 2009 under Artist Activities
Adrian Baker's Bermuda inspired work will feature in a new exhibition at the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art. See the article for more information.
Mississippi Mudds - Review of Mother Goose
Posted December 3, 2009 under ArtsCP Activities
THE SECRET WAR OF MOTHER GOOSE OR HOW LAURA SECORD GOOSED THE YANKS!
A review by Lorrie Beaton (Member of Arts Carleton Place)
Only the Mudds could mix the stories of Laura Secord and Mother Goose together in this off-the-wall Pantomime. Once again, they have wowed us with their vibrant characters, wacky storylines, and outrageous fun that has been crafted specifically for Carleton Place audiences.
This story is full of plotting, planning, battles and romantic longings. Luckily for us, within all the mischievous acts going on, Laura Secord overhears the Americans plotting to take over Ontario. She decides to venture out on her own and bravely travels a great distance to warn the British. It is en-route in the woods that she gets to meet some interesting and wonderful characters.
The Mudds have a way of inviting us into a magical world that is so outrageous and completely unbelievable, but the true magic is that we want to play along and believe! They call on us to participate! They ask us to sway between good and evil! They bring smiles to the faces of everyone in the audience with their tongue and cheek shenanigans that border on the perverse! It is no wonder why the Mudds have such a following in Carleton Place. The Pantomimes are designed for us!
Don't be fooled into thinking that they are just having fun up there on the stage. The pantomimes that are offered up to us every Christmas season are well thought out, and they keep within the conventions of traditional English Pantomime from the 1800's. The talented members of the Mississippi Mudds fool us into believing that they are just offering up light-hearted fun, but they are offering up something more. Sticking to the guidelines of traditional English Pantomime, you will find political satire, cross dressing, animal-costumed roles, in-jokes, variations on classic fairytales, song and dance, and audience participation with the goal of creating fun family entertainment. You could see the pleasure of this show on the faces of the children in the audience, responding to these somewhat familiar characters and being persuaded into booing the "bad" guys, or cheering for the "good" guys. It is the thrill of experiencing a magical world full of good and evil, immortals, young lovers, villains and variations on fairytales and songs that we all recognize. Calling to the audience for their participation creates a sense of community among the audience and the performers.
This sense of community can be felt in every area of the show, but more importantly you also feel a sense of mentorship. This show is a wonderful example of those who are talented and generous in showing the younger performers the ropes. As you see declining numbers of youth participating in the dramatic arts, the Mudds are demonstrating that when you teach by example the rewards are plentiful.
Peter Brown's musical arrangement sets the tone for the show with the band's opening medley that whets our appetites for what is ahead. It really sets the scene for the playful nature of the show. The music really makes the show come alive! Some noteworthy performances come from Laura Secord (Becki Cross), who can hold her own on stage with the strong stage presence of Mother Goose (Jim MacGregor). Her singing voice is quite wonderful, and she has quite a stage presence. Laura Secord's daughter, Victoria (Hannah Hayball), is also quite striking and has a great deal of vocal strength for her age. The most surprising moment came from the performance of Golden Feather (Melissa McIntosh) because her singing voice was completely unexpected and wonderful when she sang, "Colours of the Wind". Some great comedic moments worth mentioning dealt with the "Americans", who were so backward that you could not help laughing. There is no being politically correct in this audience! Only the "Americans" would challenge "us" to a hockey game, but we all knew who would win in the end - didn't we?
A review by Lorrie Beaton (Member of Arts Carleton Place)
Only the Mudds could mix the stories of Laura Secord and Mother Goose together in this off-the-wall Pantomime. Once again, they have wowed us with their vibrant characters, wacky storylines, and outrageous fun that has been crafted specifically for Carleton Place audiences.
This story is full of plotting, planning, battles and romantic longings. Luckily for us, within all the mischievous acts going on, Laura Secord overhears the Americans plotting to take over Ontario. She decides to venture out on her own and bravely travels a great distance to warn the British. It is en-route in the woods that she gets to meet some interesting and wonderful characters.
The Mudds have a way of inviting us into a magical world that is so outrageous and completely unbelievable, but the true magic is that we want to play along and believe! They call on us to participate! They ask us to sway between good and evil! They bring smiles to the faces of everyone in the audience with their tongue and cheek shenanigans that border on the perverse! It is no wonder why the Mudds have such a following in Carleton Place. The Pantomimes are designed for us!
Don't be fooled into thinking that they are just having fun up there on the stage. The pantomimes that are offered up to us every Christmas season are well thought out, and they keep within the conventions of traditional English Pantomime from the 1800's. The talented members of the Mississippi Mudds fool us into believing that they are just offering up light-hearted fun, but they are offering up something more. Sticking to the guidelines of traditional English Pantomime, you will find political satire, cross dressing, animal-costumed roles, in-jokes, variations on classic fairytales, song and dance, and audience participation with the goal of creating fun family entertainment. You could see the pleasure of this show on the faces of the children in the audience, responding to these somewhat familiar characters and being persuaded into booing the "bad" guys, or cheering for the "good" guys. It is the thrill of experiencing a magical world full of good and evil, immortals, young lovers, villains and variations on fairytales and songs that we all recognize. Calling to the audience for their participation creates a sense of community among the audience and the performers.
This sense of community can be felt in every area of the show, but more importantly you also feel a sense of mentorship. This show is a wonderful example of those who are talented and generous in showing the younger performers the ropes. As you see declining numbers of youth participating in the dramatic arts, the Mudds are demonstrating that when you teach by example the rewards are plentiful.
Peter Brown's musical arrangement sets the tone for the show with the band's opening medley that whets our appetites for what is ahead. It really sets the scene for the playful nature of the show. The music really makes the show come alive! Some noteworthy performances come from Laura Secord (Becki Cross), who can hold her own on stage with the strong stage presence of Mother Goose (Jim MacGregor). Her singing voice is quite wonderful, and she has quite a stage presence. Laura Secord's daughter, Victoria (Hannah Hayball), is also quite striking and has a great deal of vocal strength for her age. The most surprising moment came from the performance of Golden Feather (Melissa McIntosh) because her singing voice was completely unexpected and wonderful when she sang, "Colours of the Wind". Some great comedic moments worth mentioning dealt with the "Americans", who were so backward that you could not help laughing. There is no being politically correct in this audience! Only the "Americans" would challenge "us" to a hockey game, but we all knew who would win in the end - didn't we?
