by Ernest Thompson
31 May - 9 June 2007
Ethel and Norman Thayer return to their summer home for the 44th year. They are visited by their divorced, middle-aged daughter and her dentist fiance, who then go off to Europe leaving his teenage son behind for the summer. After a difficult start the boy becomes the grandchild they have longed for and as Norman revels in teaching him fishing and good books, he also learns some lessons about modern teenage awareness in return. As the summer ends so does their brief idyll but Norman and Ethel have been brought even closer together by the experience. A funny and moving play of rare simplicity and beauty.
This production will be staged in the round.
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Ethel Thayer
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Sheila Neale
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Norman Thayer
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Peter Whittle
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Chelsea Thayer
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Dom Mountain
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Bill
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Ian Brown
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Billy
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Adam Isles
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Charlie
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Tony Richardson
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Director
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Ian Grayson
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June 27 2007
Tony Flook
IF I had doubts that Ernest Thompson's skilfully crafted play would work in the round, they were soon dispelled.
All the necessary elements of Norman and Ethel Thayer's well-used, comfortable lakeside summer home in New England were right there in the middle of The Miller Centre's auditorium and seemed to invite the audience in to share the family's lives with them.
On Golden Pond revolves around the irascible Norman, a character with depths to be explored and capable of different interpretations - a dream role for any mature actor.
Peter Whittle brought out much of his spiky personality, making him easy to dislike - or at least to treat with caution - until we see his fear of reaching his 80th birthday and of losing his mental faculties.
It was a strong, thoughtful performance although, in holding his American accent as well as he did, the actor slightly lost some of the vocal inflexion, which could, occasionally, have added a little extra subtlety.
Although Norman dominates through his forceful personality, the play would not stand as well as it does without other equally well-written characters to give it balance.
Sheila Neale was Ethel his wife - the calming influence who had somehow tolerated him for more than 40 years. These two seemed to understand each other and interact as only a long-married couple could in real life.
Dom Mountain caught the tension their daughter Chelsea feels in trying to relate to the father she thinks sets goals she can't attain.
Ian Brown as Chelsea's fiancé Bill showed quietly but firmly that he had the measure of Norman and refused to be fazed by him.
The friendship Norman strikes up with young Billy (played with confidence by teenager Adam Isles) shows there's a soft side to him as he treats the boy as the son he possibly secretly wanted.
Tony Richardson had the least rewarding role as Charlie and avoided showing this affable, non-too-bright mailman as a caricature.
Ian Grayson's affectionate, well-rounded, direction painted a realistic picture of a family doing its best to come to terms with itself
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