Reviews & Letters
Garrison Little Theatre also welcomes critiques
(good or bad) from our audiences!
See the COMMENTS page on this website.
June 2008
Last week, theatre buffs in Fort Erie were treated to a knee-slapping performance from the Faringdon Dramatic Society, a theatre troupe from Oxfordshire, England, who performed Richard Harris' "The Outside Edge". The play is based around the sometimes confusing sport of cricket, but that didn't stop the audience from understanding the plethora of comedic richness within the production. The England based theatre group was brought here by Garrison Little Theatre.
The Fort Erie Times
April 2008
Dear Garrison Little Theatre!
Thank you for Caught in the Net - we loved it!
We will go again. The play was the best. Great comedy.
Food was 4 stars out of 4 stars.
Coffee - needs work!
Anonymous
Excerpt from The Fort Erie Times, April 2008
by Millicent Simonics
Latest Garrison Little Theatre play a hit
Garrison Little Theatre's performance at the Italo-Canadian Club was a hit last Friday. All the tables and tummies were full. The play, Caught in the Net, by Ray Cooney, was full of mystery, excitement, laughs and a great meal prepared by Maria's Catering.... What better way to top a great meal off than an excellent show, with great performances by Fort Erie's finest. Emma Cuneo, the youngest member of the cast, gave a brilliant show as Vicki Smith, a 15-year old girl who stumbles onto some exciting information on the Internet. When she begins to unravel the mystery, a hilarious scenario is unveiled, bringing in the side-splitting experiences of Carole Ferriday, Drew Belanger, Vince Marinaccio, Don Bracikowski and Marie and Doug Hoyle. Two thumbs up to everyone, including the production crew and kitchen staff. We ate until our stomachs hurt, and laughed until they burst in such a great night with GLT...
Excerpt from The Fort Erie Times, January 2008
by Kris Dubé
Garrison Little Theatre performs edge-of-your-seat murder mystery
Who would've thought a casual dinner at the Italo-Canadian Club would consist of so much lust and murderous jealousy?... Throughout the play, the entire audience sat on the edge of their chairs, guessing all the way until the end, as to who was Dr. John Christow's (Giorgio Fragnito) murderer... Pretty much every character in the play can be considered a suspect at some point through the story, which means GLT's rendition of "The Hollow" was orchestrated without hardly any flaws. The show is full of diverse characters, clever humour and anxiousness to find out who the real killer is.
Excerpt from Faringdon Folly & Diary, England, November 2007
By Al Cane
LEND ME A TENOR:
Garrison theatre company from Canada seeks exchange with similar English company. Likes travel. Good sense of humour essential.
…The chief character is Italian opera star Tito Merelli, “Il Stupendo”, who arrives just in time for a one-ff sell-out performance… A host of coincidences, misunderstandings, double entendres and innuendoes abound, leading towards a farcical ending. The opera star, played by Chuck Jagiello, overdoses on tranquilizers, is taken for dead and in an attempt to cover up, his understudy and company gopher Max, played by Vince Marinaccio, takes his place. He was excellent and reminded me of Gene Wilder, in his role in the original film of “The Producers”… Strong performances from the rest of the cast, including Saunders, the general manager, played by Derek Joynes, Maria Merelli (Maxine Simons) and Diana (Joyce Stark). Performances were well attended and there is no doubt that the audience thoroughly enjoyed the show. They rolled with the jokes and sat in anticipation of the next one coming along….
Letter to the Editor, The Times, November 2007
KUDOS TO GLT AND FESS
Dear Editor,
Wow! I just want to say a big “thank you” to all of the students and staff from Fort Erie Secondary School, that partnered with the Garrison Little Theatre to host a most enjoyable evening. I was a little apprehensive about a venue change, but how delightful it was. The students did an excellent job looking after the audience members and if Maria’s had not done their usual great job of filling us up, my table would have all asked for more of the student prepared dessert. The GLT team did its usual great job of bringing us a great evening of arts and laughter. To all involved I would like to give my heart felt thanks.
Kim Vandervoet, Ridgeway
Excerpt from letter from Brenda Kamino, writer for Equity Quarterly,
April 2007
SELF HELP
It was an entertaining and at times very funny show with some solid acting from a committed cast who all but threw themselves into their roles. I really enjoyed being in an audience that had such a great time, who picked up every nuance and wholeheartedly went on the entire journey. I particularly enjoyed Zdenka Cole who played Bernice, whose experience was evident and my friend Reynaldo Baecher, whose work was clear, clean, direct and simple… I give credit to the dedication of the entire cast and director who put together a tough style (farce) in a short rehearsal time. Thanks for a great afternoon of theatre. Bravo Garrison Little Theatre!
Excerpt from The Review, November 1989
By Monica Trombley
GARRISON PLAYERS BREATHE LIFE INTO BELIEVABLE PACK OF LIES
Garrison Little Theatre opened Friday with an evening that was truly complete and can be described in no less glowing terms than delicious, fulfilling, believable and heartwrenching… The superb ensemble of local talent breathed life into Hugh Whitemore’s “Pack of Lies”, a story of a family suffering with the moral dilemma of love of country verses love of neighbor… Pat and Derek Joynes gave such an arresting performance as Bob and Barbara Jackson that tears were shed by the audience. Patricia Near and Vince Marinaccio portray Helen Kroger and Mr. Stewart, respectively, with truly exceptional flair… “Pack of Lies” was a great production with good direction and a strong cast.
Excerpt from The Tribune, April 1989
By Marnie Coles
FRANTIC FARCE IN FORT ERIE
Move Over Mrs. Markham is farce at its most frantic… satire at its most biting… and theatre at its most beguiling. Laine Ehrhardt and Grant Ehrhardt make the ideal Joanna and Philip Markham. Laine’s acting is impeccable and she exhibits a dead-on sense of timing in her hilarious lines. Grant gives a riotous display of enthusiasm, energy and invention, portraying the suspicious husband. Dan Bennett adds comedic spice as Henry Lodge… Laurie Watson gave comic relief as the bubble-headed Linda Lodge. Chuck Jagiello literally stole the show with his madcap and exceptionally fine, physical and verbal performance of the wonderful interior decorator Alistair Spenlow. Jenn Standring looks good as she portrays Sylive, Alistair’s “Goose”… Rick Nigh comes off marvelously as the befuddled paramour Walter Pangbourne and Brenda Bennett performs with every inch of herself in her cameo role of the scantily dressed Miss Wilkinson… Marie Hoyle as Miss Olive Harriet Smythe is suitably daffy – a real detonation of comic virtuosity… There is a genuine madness about this farce. And director Pat Joynes uses a light-handed and funny treatment to make Move Over Mrs. Markham’s logic inexorable.
Excerpt from The Times, October 1988
By Karen Audet
“DEATH TRAP” CAPTIVATES AUDIENCE
A delightful performance of Ira Levin’s “Death Trap” and contented appetites, courtesy of Maria’s Catering, left a near-capacity audience thoroughly satisfied… Rick Nigh portrays Sidney Bruhl, a down-on-his-luck playwright… his character is brought to life through Mr. Nigh’s inspiring performance. Clifford Anderson, a young and aspiring playwright (played by Gary Pooler, enlivens many a scene adding more than a dash of excitement to the unsuspecting audience. Sidney’s fragile wife Myra (played by Cristy Spencer), family lawyer Porter (played by Chuck Jagiello) and visiting psychic Helga Ten Dorp (played by Patricia Near), add wit, sarcasm and many unexpected twists to rivet the audience’s attention. Directed by Dan Bennett and produced by Derek Joynes, “Death Trap” is a well-performed, suspenseful thriller, laced with humour.
Excerpt from The Tribune, April 1988
By Marnie Coles
STRONG CAST IN “ON GOLDEN POND”
… by any standards, On Golden Pond is a fine piece of writing… The cast is mostly strong – Derek Joynes as Norman, is able to move seamlessly from downright bitterness to outright comedy, and he exhibits a dead-on sense of timing in his delivery. Pat Joynes as Ethel is almost equally good, reaching for and finding a character of rare strength. Their chemistry is right. Walter Gaverluk makes his acting debut with relaxed confidence, his portrayal of 13-year-old Billy Ray is a hammy masterpiece. And as Bill Ray Sr., Grant Ehrhardt shows a nice range of emotional levels. Dan Bennett as Charlie the postman shows skill and a keen sense of fun in the making of his character. Under the direction of Chuck Jagiello, the play starts slowly, but the pace soon picks up as the actors make the most of the outrageous and often hilarious lines.
