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Friday, October 8,1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER 15 Arts &Entertainment An Oakville Beaver Feature Editor CAROL BALDWIN, 845-3824 (Extension 254) Fax: 337-5567 By Carol Baldwin ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Quick and painless, but also fun, says John Thacker, alias Jonathan Briant, director of and actor in Edwin, which opens at the Oakville Cen tre for the Performing Arts on Oct. 14th. Briant (his theatre name) says the play is only a total of 75 minutes - 35 before intermission and 40 after. "It's a enjoyable evening. You can go out to the theatre and be home by 10 o 'clock," he says. Edwin, he explains, was originally written by John M ortimer as a BBC radio drama. It was then adapted for television, and later for the stage. `T his is its first performance in Canada," says Briant. "It's a nice little play, with a little come dy, a little drama and a little mystery, surround ing Edwin's parentage." Edwin, however, is never seen in the play, except from a distance, through a window. There are only three characters - retired judge Fenni more Truscott, his wife Margaret, and their nextdoor neighbour Tom Marjoriebanks, whom the judge suspects o f seducing Margaret years ago and possibly siring Edwin. Both Englishmen are willing to claim Edwin, who has been in Canada for the past 10 years, as their son until he comes home for a visit. "I have my own idea of why things turn out the way they do," says Briant. "I would like the audience to leave the theatre with its own ver sion." Briant, who has been away from the commu nity theatre scene for about four years, originally got hooked on theatre when he attended some play readings with a friend over 30 years ago. He even offered the basement of his house for rehearsals. And the enthusiastic thespian has Director Jonathan Briant, left, rehearses with David Jam es who plays Sir Fennimore Truscott, and Carol W ilson (Lady M argaret Truscott) for the upcoming produc tion o f Edwin at the Oakville Centre. been involved in a number of acting classes and workshops since. But, the 64-year-old still enjoys the good oldfashioned play readings, which he does with a friend now and again. "It's invaluable stuff, par ticularly when you respect each other's work," he says, explaining that one script can be used many times, in many ways, especially when improvisa tion comes into play. "Pure invention shows you how far you can go with one particular script." In Edwin, the challenge for Briant is directing himself, a job he got because other people just weren't available to either direct or take on a major role. And, since he had recommended the play, he took on both tasks. "It's a little difficult to be really objective about it," he explains. "It's entirely different when you're standing back from the players and when you're one of them." But most of that's behind him now as the production dates approach. Edwin will be on stage at the Oakville Centre Oct. 14th, 15th, 16th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16, halfprice for students and seniors at the Oct. 20th per G reat Savings formance. o n Q uality P rodu cts For tickets call the box office at 815-2021. WINNIE THE POOH SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17 AT 1 PM & 4 30PM a ' x A childhood classic emerges as a new fullscale "Pooh-sical" production with upheat, 'T ) tuneful music, brilliant true-to-thesi Z ' character costuming and dazzling sets. IW P o rfw w C e t-eCorw *««ded F o r W ' A g e s "H I . fW F o n w w C e le n g th is h fp ro rih w te /y owe hour. B o o s t e r s S ea ts awuWs/e. , T ic k e ts : $ 1 t (Children $15) ORDER THE SERIES AND SAVE! 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