Caledon Town Hall Players present ‘The Kitchen Witches’

October 24, 2019 · 0 Comments

Written By CONSTANCE SCRAFIELD

Director, Joe Rose, outlined the play, The Kitchen Witches, opening at the Caledon Town Hall Players on Friday, November 1 and running on the weekends through Saturday, November 9.

“The Kitchen Witches,” and he chuckled as he thought about it, “Imagine the hosts of two different cooking shows, both on cable access, Isobel Lomax and Dolly Biddle, who hated each other for 40 years. Both of them, for various reasons have lost their shows. By a coincidence of the worst kind, another producer wants to create a new show featuring them both – together. They keep ragging on each other. After all, they are both television personalities.”

Chances are the animosity between the ladies began with a man: Larry Biddle in fact, who dated Isobel and then married Dolly. Their son, Stephen, is now the producer of the very show these two celebrity cooks have been persuaded to share.

Naturally, a camera man is needed. This role is filled by a winsome, delightful young man who is on stage for most of the time but only has one actual line.

“He’s very funny,” Mr. Rose assured us.

We learned a bit about Joe Rose’s community theatre background.

“I’ve done a lot of work in community theatre in Brampton.” he told the Citizen. “I lived in Brampton for over 30 years. Now I live in Erin.

“I’ve been directing and on stage for the better part of 20 years. By trade, I’m a customs broker,” wryly – “I’ve been doing that a while too.”

It is satisfying to hear so many people say, as Joe Rose does, “Why I’m involved in community theatre, is for giving back to the community, which I consider essential, especially nowadays when everything is on technology.

“In Brampton, we did a lot of theatre for young people. There were teens who have never seen live theatre. I love English Panto and I was involved with Peel Panto Players, which had been running since ‘74. Then, the city of Brampton withdrew all support for community theatre; they closed the Arts Council.”

He said, “I used to be the Dame. On YouTube/Peel Panto, there is a video called What is a Panto and there’s an interview with me in it.

“I was out of action with surgery and then, I was getting back into it. I went to see a play at the Caledon Town Hall Players. Later, I went to an audition and got a part. We were doing Self Help for Dummies. Some time after that, I was in Dilemmas with Dinner.

“That’s why I like directing ,” he remarked humorously, “I don’t have to memorize. I’m originally from Montreal, living in Irish Greenfield Park. I like to read and I’ve read so many plays – comedies, dramas but dramas don’t attract people to community theatre much.”

The Kitchen Witches is written by Canadian playwright, Caroline Smith, an actor, choreographer, director and playwright, who has worked in “almost every theatre” right across Canada, “including the Shaw Festival and the Canadian Opera Company.”

The Kitchen Witches was awarded with the Samuel French Best Canadian Play Award in 2005.

“For this production, people do travel: I come from Erin; others come from Barrie and Toronto. There are only four people in this show. The dynamic is only four people on the stage and one has only one line but he’s on stage all the time – he’s a camera man and he’s 16 years old.. He is very funny even not speaking, What is fun, when he was doing his hours at Rogers, he was a camera man. Of these actors, three are familiar and one is brand new.”

“It has come along very well. With character development, each actor has to bring that character to life. These people are just wonderful. They’re not just saying lines, it’s part of them. That’s the wonderful part of it. I have had to look with a critical line that the blocking is done. They have the same enthusiasm – only four in the cast makes things more intense. ”

Come to the play, Mr. Rose encouraged us.

“The play is going to let people escape their lives. It’s fun; they’ll laugh because there are so many hilarious moments. Things go along and then bang, something funny happens. Lots of people don’t realize that there’s theatre going on here for them to really enjoy.”

The Kitchen Witches, by Caroline Smith, is on at the Caledon Town House Players theatre in Caledon Village on Highway 10. Sßhow times are on the Fridays and Saturdays, from November 1 to November 9, with matinees and evening dinners on both Saturdays.

For all the information and to buy tickets, check out the websitewww.caledontownhallplayers.comor call 519-927-5460.