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34 The Chronicle November 21, 2006
By Ryan Peterson
Chronicle Staff
Waves crash on the beach; cawing
seagulls are heard as if they are
circling above your head.
In the distance there’s a radio on
crackling play-by-play of the latest
Yankees game. It’s 1937 in Brighton
Beach Brooklyn, New York, or at
least it is at the Whitby Courthouse
Th eatre every weekend until Nov.
25.
Brighton Beach Memoirs, a comedy
by Neil Simon, was fi rst presented
in Los Angeles in 1982.
It won the drama critics circle
award for best play in 1983, has become
one the best coming of age/
historical pieces, and is the most
recognized play from Simon’s large
body of work.
Th e WCT show is directed by
Donald Langley, a third-year journalism
student at Durham College,
as well as the project and special
events assistant to the Student Association
and the social convenor
for WCT board of directors.
I fi rst saw Brighton Beach performed
in 2001 by the Windsor Light
Opera players in Windsor, Ont. Th at
performance has stayed with me
and I think this one shall also.
Told through the eyes of 15-yearold
Eugene Jerome, the show is
about the problems facing a lower
middle-class Jewish family in the
depression.
One of the main hurdles for the
family is that, in addition to Eugene,
they have three other dependents
in the wife (Kate’s) sister and two
daughters, Nora and Laurie, who
moved in when their husband and
father died.
Th e show started 15 minutes
late, but it was a dress rehearsal, so
the stage, sound and lighting crews
were just working out the kinks.
Th e accents were semi-consistent,
Laurie had it down, as did Kate
and Stanley (Eugene’s older brother),
but Eugene and Jack, especially
Jack needed some help. It was hard
to tell what he was trying to do.
He never fully reached the Brooklyn/Jewish
blend. Eugene lost it on
his long speeches. Another thing
about Eugene’s speeches was that
they seemed to get away from him.
As he went on the energy and
expression seemed to peter out and
the emphasis didn’t fall where it
should.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Brighton Beach splashes Whitby
Th e height diff erence between
Eugene and Stanley isn’t enough to
illustrate the four-year diff erence.
Aesthetically, however, they do look
like brothers.
Blocking, the way the actors
move onstage, was sometimes an issue,
because the audience couldn’t
see diff erent characters.
Th e actor who played Stanley
(Graeme Robinson) did a great job.
His mannerisms, infl ection, and
body language were all true to the
script and portrayed the character
the way Simon would have wanted.
Th e play has scenes with a large
number of characters, a whole family
scene, two-character scenes and
of course Eugene’s monologues.
In these scenes the actors must
have chemistry in order to keep the
audience interested.
Character relationships of note
were between Stan and Nora and
Jack and Kate.
During the dinner scene in the
fi rst act, they had what is known as a
wet set. Using real food and liquids,
which is a brave undertaking, the
actors did well, nothing was spilled.
Dinner scenes can be problematic
with blocking. Business could
also be over the top and take attention
from where it’s supposed to be,
but once again this cast pulled it off .
Th e scenes were split up well in
two aspects. Th ey fl owed, one into
the other, and they used the full
space of the stage.
Th e show ran a little bit overtime,
it was supposed to be an hour
for each act, but with more performances
that will be ironed out.
Although the play is a comedy,
it has some genuinely touching
scenes. A scene between Jack and
Stan near the end of the fi rst act
brought tears to the audience as
Stan talks to his father about having
to write a letter of apology to his
boss, so he doesn’t get fi red, something
the family can’t aff ord.
Others came in the second act,
including Kate and Blanche having
an argument that, as Jack said,
was “Two sisters having a fi ght they
should have had 25 years ago.”
Th e two women caught the depth
of the characters’ hurt in waves and
levels of emotion. Th is scene rides
like a roller-coaster.
Another emotional confrontation
was between Nora and Blanche.
Nora had been acting snobby towards
the whole family when her
mother decided that Nora could not
drop out of school to be a Broadway
dancer.
All of this came to a head when
Blanche went out on a date and
Nora didn’t stick around to see her
off .
Photo by Ryan Peterson
WE’RE A HAPPY FAMILY: From left, Kathy Knight (Kate), Bailey Coyle (Laurie), Lanie Anderson (Blanche), and Megan
Svajlenko (Nora) star in a performance of Brighton Beach Memoirs by Neil Simon at the Whitby Courthouse theatre until
Nov. 25.
Technically, lights and sound
were spot on at every point they
needed to be although the sound
was a little overbearing in some
parts.
Kate had a good costume change
in the second act. In one scene she
was in pyjamas and then she was in
full day dress in the next.
Th e set, which was apparently
unfi nished at the dress rehearsal,
looked good with some questionable
time period props and set
pieces.
Th is is a good show that can be
viewed by a large range of audiences,
from a mature nine-year-old to
senior citizens, although the WCT
warns there is some mature language
and subject matter.
Tickets are $15 and can be
booked by calling Lafontaine Trading
Post at 905-430-3774.
Williams strikes warmth in hearts
By Tania Harris
Chronicle Staff
Th ey continue to come in, one right after
the other. Th ey are diff erent people, from different
walks of life all gathering for the same
reasons, to satisfy their cravings while enjoying
an evening of relaxation.
Whether you have an itch for a morning
coff ee, want to indulge in some breakfast, or
are looking to complete work in a quite place
while sipping on a warm beverage, Williams
Coff ee Pub, in Courtice, is the place to go.
As soon as you walk through the large double
doors an immediate sensation of warmth
and comfort rushes over you. Th e smell of
freshly brewed coff ee and newly baked muf-
fi ns invades your senses, allowing childhood
memories of weekly visits to grandma’s house
to enter your mind.
As you walk over to the counter a staff
member welcomes you. “What can I get
for you today my dear,” she says in a vibrant
voice.
Once you place your order you receive a
number and take a seat wherever you desire.
A young employee with a friendly smile then
serves you almost immediately.
Th e atmosphere is casual and relaxing.
A vast variety of light illuminates the building.
Th e red, light and dark brown brick walls
make you feel as though you are dining in a
secluded cottage, far away from the chaos of
everyday life. Th ere is green panelling on the
walls, which complements the classic Monet
and Van Gogh art. Booths are everywhere you
look, providing comfortable seating for 165
people.
Williams’ menu is considerably larger than
other popular coff ee houses, such as Tim Hortons,
but the prices are generally higher. As
soon as you take the fi rst sip of your hot cafe
latte or when you fi rst bite into your Belgian
waffl e, however, the tingling sensation that
overwhelms your palate makes the experience
worth the money.
A young girl sits alone reading a novel while
sipping on a large cup of warm cappuccino
priced at $2.89. A husband and wife sit sideby-side
sharing a slice of lemon meringue pie,
priced at $3.19. A group of boy scouts dressed
in uniform sit at a large table enjoying French
onion soup, $3.99, Greek salad, $5.49, and a
grilled chicken Caesar wrap, $5.79.
No matter the time of day there is always a
wide variety of people enjoying their time at
Williams. Two men in their 70s sit in the far
right corner reminiscing about old times. A
group of middle-aged women sits in a booth
behind them, laughing at the day’s events. In
the back left corner two students sit quietly
while completing homework and taking advantage
of the free wireless Internet service.
It’s nearly 11 p.m. and the once illuminated
pub is dimming, the open sign is no longer lit
and the friendly staff gets ready to close. One
by one customers exit, with smiles on their
faces, through the large double doors. Th ey
are diff erent people from diff erent walks of
life all leaving with the same feeling, satisfaction
of time well-spent.