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By JAMES NELSON The anadian Press When the National Arts Centres resident theatre com pany was formed two years ago leading light Jean Gascoii said it might take five years to prove its worth So far at least he has been right By late this winter all the major centres and many of the smaller ones from New foundland to British Columbia will have seen one or more of the seven plays two of them by Canadian authors rwhieh make up three tours two by the French acting group and one by the English company But ticket sales and critics reviews have been mixed Purpose of the touring com pany costing the taxpayer more than $21 million in three years is to take topflight pro fessional theatre into the hinterland and to supplement the work of the 15 or so regular Series on Touring theatre company manages only mixed reviews professional theatre companies across the country Formation of the centres theatre company sparked jeal ousy in most of the existing theatres isjealousy for the spe cial funds given it by the gov ernment which they think they should have had at time of cuts in other grants to the arts and jealousy for the audiences the highpowered ttawa com pany might steal from local ixrformers In only few cases is the centres company appearing on tour as part of the local theatres regular subscription series In other words the tour ing productions are in direct competition with local theatres RERlIlEl IN OTTAWA In the case of the English touring group the company was recruited for its first year in Ottawa last season playing in the theatre of the National Arts Centre to local audiences Edward splits audiences down the middle LONDON ttii British au diences are split down the mid die in their attitude toward the TV drama Edward and Mrs Simpson produced here by the commercial Thames Television network for broadcast in numerous countries In Britain the sevenpart film has revived all the old arguments concerning the ab diction of Edward VI from the British throne in December 1936 Many regard him as weak selfindulgent king who turned his back on Britain and the Commonwealth Others see him as strongwillcd man who stood up to the government of the day and remained loyal to the woman he loved Im kings man myself says tityearold naval veteran What would the na tion have thought of king who bowed to pressure from the government to have Mrs Simp son sent away Not much Ill wager He walked out on his job llllddltviigttl housewife offers lie was trained for kingship and he should have placed his duty to Britain and the orn inonwcalth above all else Whatever their opinions most viewers agree that British actor Edward Fox and Americanborn ynthia Ilarris have given life and depth to their difficult roles And the film has been praised for its historical accuracy although historians will long continue to argue over certain aspects of it With budget of more than it million Thames Television spared no effort to capture the style and atmosphere of the period For instance the clothes worn by Fox as the fashionconscious Edward were stitched by the same Saville Row tailors who served the king 40 years ago LOIIIGENLINIC And the famous wedding dress worn by ynthia Harris as Mrs Simpson is more than just meticulous copy It was made from the last existing bolt of the same type of 1936 material Like the original it had no zip fastener Costume designer Diana Thurley and production designer Allan ameron bore the responsibility for reconstructing bygone era had to reprixluce not only the clothes worn by King lids ward but those of all the people surrounding him Miss Tliurley says Cameron looked after the bricks mortar and furnishings of history from the varnish on the Kings desk to the jade or naments in Queen Marys room He visited Sit theatrical rental companies delved through the archives at Wind sor astle and Buckingham Palace and built scale models of some of the To sets Used in the series It was like putting jigsaw puzzle together and every piece was vital to the at mosphere of the film ameron says Besides books and photos of the period Miss Thurlcy studied flickering iicwsrecls of royal garden parties at Buck ingham Palace and fashionable race meetings at Ascot and Hp som tracks to build up her reconstruct ion of the period The costume budget soared every time scene was re written or new character add ed to the script At the end of shooting lI alone was estimated at more than £00000 Management Seminar designed for small business Successful marketing depends on your ability to provrde the RIGHT product or service at the RIGHT time in the RIGHT place at the RIGHT price Right On Feb Nth seminar on MARKETING will be presented at Con tinontal Inn Barrio 900 am to 430 pm IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN RETAILING MANUFACTURING OR PROVIDING SERVICE THERE IS SOMETHING HERE FOR YOU For advance registration complete the coupon below or contact Hall at 728607 Barrio for full information The Manager Federal Business Development Bank PO 80 876 Barrio Ont UM 4Y6 No wool lil to Im Irivolvod in tho MARKI IING mrriiimr My our cheque are orii lined Hmmmhm sit iiI mimi llil ioilw lilt and III lulli When this seasons tour was first planned artistic director John Wood had to choose works he had already put lot of ef fort iiito the 1930s Hamlet with Neil Munro and the Gilbert and Sullivan musical he had done at Neptune Theatre in Halifax be fore his appointment to Ottawa It was some time later that Iohn Murrells fivewoman play was added to the program mainly to keep the surplus of actresses busy on nights when the company is performing Hamlet The work had proved successful ir an earlier produc tion lravelling in rented van with all their costumes stage properties and few screens to form backdrop for the produc tion the five women are sched ulcd into such places as David son and Rockglen Sask Dau phin Mair and Guelph and ornwalL nt FILLS IlIIIOSE But this play filled with nos talgia and wit about five women waiting and working out the years of the Second World War could be the most significant part of the entres theatre company enterprise so far In most of its performances it is fulfilling the purpose of taking firstrate live prolesr sional theatre into cominuilitics which otherwise might be star ved for it Another of the companys proposals is to support regional theatres by lending its incin bers to them when the mem bers are not busy with the coin pany The company picks up its members salaries thus freeing the other theatre to hire other actors In this way the arts centre can make major contribution to upgrading the level of attain ment of the regional theatres So far however the plan has been difficult to work out Artistic directors guard their own preprogatives so closely ii is hard to make such cor operative arrangements ef fective What the current tours may produce Is realization in the regional theatres that the centres company is likely to stay ollaboiation with it rather than jealous criticism of it could produce dividends both in engaging individual ac tors and in scheduling touring prixluction into the regular sea sons playliill HHTPERIIKL CEREITTK Plays prime minister William Hutt stars as Canadas first prime minister in Theatre Londons musical history melodrama John AHimselt which premiered Wednesday night The play by Timothy Findley runs until Feb l7 Photo Property of Theatre London by Hockings JUMBO HIT THE RAILS Jumbo the worlds most fa mous elephant was killed by train in 1885 in St Thomas int after performing with Barnum and Bailey circus Barrie labour Council UNANIMOUSLY Sears AGREES TO CORRECTION SUPPORT THE STRIKE OF OPSEU in Sears After Inventory Solo circular on Page the Chain Saw advertised should be to not as stated We regret any inconvenience this may have caused our customers FOR INFORMATION ANYTIME CALL 728 3440 makes no difference who you are youll love MATINEES SAT SUN IIS 330 TECHNICOLOR itr tillult try HUI NA VISTA DISTRIBUIION 70 INC 1IIUIIIWEIIIUiJMyIIt1lllllil and NEW animation ieaturette destined to become DISNEY HOLIDAY CLASSIC rowdual III ii rut JliA TIIII it im Ciafiifiina Show Times 719 lsi how Times Entertainment if Wfif EMT LOOSE CERTE Play for children at the mail first for amateur players The Littles Hill Players Barries amateur theatre group have arranged another first for their 16th season theyre taking their next pro duction play for children in to vacant shop in the Bayfield Mall When Marmaldade Drops childrens fantasy written by Carol Lauck has its first Bar rie performance on March the theatre group will have con verted the vacant shop into small theatre Theyre adding Pearce to retire Ottawa CPI Pat Pearce one of the last original members of Canadian Badio television and Telecommunica tions Commission TRIC will take early retirement April Mrs Pearce said Thursday she will vacation in Ireland when she leaves the federal regulatory agency She joined the TltlC when it was established in 1968 as one of five permanent commissioners and served on its executive stage lighting magical bedroom set designed by Col lette Betnoche and seating for up to 125 people The theme of Marmalade Drops is usc your imagina tion The play opens with Windsor the Chair Winthrop the Desk Clair the Not Too Bright Lamp Libby the Bookcase and Bedelia the Bed discussing Wallys problem it seems that 10yearold Wally has been ordered to get rid of any old toys he doesnt want But how can child throw out the lions mask that scared the little girl up the street last Halloween How can he get rid of an old badminton net or piece of string he might get puppy that he needs to take for walk And when his furniture gets into the act what chance has Wally goi The cast of Marmalade Drops feature Brad Dryborough and Jim Fare two junior school boys who will play Wally at alternate performances Kris Drol Libby the Bookcase Todd Arkcll as Windsor thr The $4150 Sunshine okcn Herc Weeken Package Winter is always warm and friendly at the luxurious Toronto Harbour Castle Hilton But especially from now until March 315i 1979 Because you can enjoy our special Sunshine Spoken Here weekend for only $41 50 per person double occupancy with Friday or Saturday arrival And children of ggy age share their parents room at no extra charge Theres so much to do that you It want to spend as much time outside as insrde Go crosscountry skiing on Torontos Island Park With ferry serVIce at our door Or take our specral shuttle bus to Ontario Place where you can skate take in live childrens theatre or watch full length feature movre in Cinesphere with its giant screen and stereo sound system Theres also heated change room and for bite handy snack bar and res taurant And insrde the hotel treat your self to our heated pool and whirlpool squash courts steam and dry sauna baths our fine restaurants and lounges our exciting new European dISCO theque 24hour roorn servrce and in room mowes And everyone who takes advantage of our Sunshine Spoken Here package will be eligible to wm return economy trip for two to Jamaica Via Air Jamaica With week room accommodation at the Jamaica Hilton Foi cumulitt rivtatls aiiit wservations subject to iistiictiii availability calt ylt ici Travel Aget ii Hiltriii htllll Hiltiiii Reservation Sonnet JANUARYEEBRUARY ISSUE NOW AVAILABLE MARQUEE MAGAZINE COMPLIMENTS OF THE MANAGEMENT Hilton International Hotel Chair Richard Hansen as Win throp the Desk Carolyn Paradise as Clair the Not Too Bright Lamp and Linday Levy as Bedlia the Bed The show is produced for the Littles llill Players in conjunc tion with the Bayfield Mall by Graham Allery with John Irwin directing Marmalade Drops will be performed on two consecutive weekends March and and March iiandlt rridaysat7230 pm and Saturday at ll am pm and pm in the Bayfield Mall News Tickets are $2 general admission with special group rates Opera will visit WASHINGTON AP The Vienna State Opera will appear at the Kennedy Centre Oct 26 Nov it with the assistance of $16 million sbusidy from the Austrian government it was announced Wednesday The visit will come almost exactly five years after negotiaions were started iy The story ofa girl who refused to forget she was once champion 2nd SENSATIONAL WEEK Starring ROBBY COLLEEN BENSON DEWHURST mi iMiim llt iiiia ian lUl IN IslMlINt Iunluition SKERRTT Shuw Times WEIR TOM IIENNIFER IUNAI Illl lllt Itl Abll I58 DAVID WARREN HUFFMAN and inlmdudl LYNNHOLLY JOHNSON who DONALD wart mummyioi IN kiMiiNi traumas lxttlttllxliUlINItUlT smnpuy DONl Wlhl aiui AI Munirhy MARVIN HAMLISCII Imtoiuilhotogiaplu Illll liLIllI5l st lusutiulnnlutei RUSH Illill 12R Dont miss this Literary Classic llAlM sinniutlAlxi IlAlM transformed into masterpiece of Animation STARTS WED FEB AT THE IMPERIAL CINEMA