Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada • 95

SECTION EDITOR: CATHERINE CARSON KM Mi Friday, November 18. 1979 Graham Hicks on pop music fn Intimate sketch of family meeting crisis is endearing 'I i ft 1 hit unbreachable wall that came between himself and his father. A particularly pathetic admission, of lack of appreciation for each other: "I wanted a lawyer, a doctor for a father. Or at least a foreman. A carpenter wasn't good enough." But Jake (Wendell Smith) was no more and no less than a good carpenter, too proud or too stubborn even to become a foreman.

Now Ben finds that his father has suffered three severe heart attacks. The old man's as prickly as ever, the more so for the profoundly simple reason that he doesn't want to be "stuck around the house all fat and lazy at 52!" Ben's mother urges him not to provoke or be drawn into any rows with his father. She also believes that if Ben will live at home again and find work, Jake will rest as he's been warned he must. But there's the rub. Mary realizes that Ben will thus come between the new depth of friendship between herself and Jake since the children have gone, and Ben realizes that his gesture will take away his father's all-important self-respect.

The epilogue, the substance of which is no suprise, is, like the play's beginning, another touching soliloquy. McGuigan is a rare geqtle performer. He has a superbly softly modulated voice, a mature range of expression and subtle sympathy for the other actors. Smith acts his part marvellously. With bristling assertion that he's the head of the household' his aggression also perfectly describes the frustration of a tradesman of the old school made suddenly impotent.

Barbara Reese gives yet another staunch performance, the epitome of the loyal wife and assiduous home-maker. Ms. Reese makes no apology for the role, for she comes across as a great mum. And she reveals a fine ear for accents: I love the precision of pronunciation and the finely-pointed vowels in her Newfie dialect. Finally, there's Paul Whitney as Mary's brother-in-law Wiff Roach.

Likes the bottle too much. Sought sexual satisfaction elsewhere, and rather blatantly, after his wife went through the change of life. But Whitney, without pushing, exposes Roach's innate good nature and a reluctant admission to sensitivity. All the parts to this production a quite lyrical and cleverly interwoven- text, diligent directing, inspired casting, a thoroughly realistic set by John Madill jell memorably. Workshop West itself is still a modest enterprise.

But it has no need to be modest about this essay. The performance is resolutely homey and utterly endearing. The play continues through Dec. 2. Of The Fields Ixitelv By David Frenc Workshop West production Victoria Composite Tlieatre Beside By KEITH ASHWELL It is like a particularly moving chapter in one of those imperishable chronicles that the British have so faithfully and so successfully transcribed for the world's television audience.

Except that it is unquestionably Canadian! It is a play about four Newfoundlanders. This is of intrinsic importance, for though these people are now, like so many others, living on the periphery of prosperous the conversation reflecting their thoughts and emotions is wanned by the closeness, frankness and frugality of island life. A folk bond, an appreciation of familial values courses so strongly through this beautiful play that one is embarrassed by one's own parental ties that have maybe frayed or simply come undone. Of The Fields Lately is not an exceptionally perceptive saga. Because none of the characters is unusually complex and the situation French has chosen does not involve any winding psychological side-tracks to be surveyed and possibly resolved.

But its significance in the great Canadian play contest is of no consequence. It is the intense humanity of the play that captivates one. Must the story end? For the telling is fascinating and true to the small idiosyncrasies that make up every day life. Yes. Just as a new, rather than revived, love and understanding between father and son has to be resolved by theatrical necessity to save French from over-extending his sublimely expressed sentimentality.

What carries the day, apart from an apparently faultless textual development, is the casting by director Gerry Potter. There is a natural dramatic harmony between Barbara Reese, Patrick McGuigan, Wendell Smith and Paul Whitney. Their acting constitutes living. The play covers just two days in their lives when all four are together for an extended period of time. And we happen to be there, looking through the living room window.

Ben Mercer (McGuigan) has returned home from an aimless adventure out west to attend an aunt's funeral. In a touching prologue, he builds the bricks of an We may be able to appreciate Bub Marley and lh Wallers, playing tomorrow night at the Kinsmen Fieldhouse, in an emotional and musical way. As far as understanding the values and social structure of the reggae supergroup, it might as well come from outer space. Consider: Reggae is the musical expression of the Rastafarian cult based in Jamaica. Marley believes Haile Selassie, the assassinated former King of Ethiopia, is God Incarnate.

The Rastafarians, in Jamaica, are by and large a poor group who live in the Kingston slums or in the smaller villages. They keep apart from the mainstream of the island's political and cultural life. The are identified by the long hair, plaited and waxed. And they are producing the music which is fast becoming one of the island's most important exports to the world. Theirs is a spiritual lifestyle, in which the herb (Jamaican marijuana) is considered to be sacred.

Marley is a connoisseur of powerful Caribbean weed. He regards it as having healing powers. Wish the Canadian Conservative government would feci the same way. Reggae is powerful, powerful music, made unique by an emphasis on the second beat, rather than the first. Inside-out rock, it's been called.

The power also comes from a sense of injustice Marley represents the cry of the third world, which usually only reaches our prosperous society via newspaper and television filters. Marley knows about frustration, anger the emotions that gave early rock its power. He's lived on the wrong side of the tracks all his life. And his music is charged by his vision. We, lucky children of the most privileged order, can only sit back, watch, and possibily learn from the strange world of the high priest of the Rastafarians.

And bitch about the fact Marley is appearing in the Kinsmen Fieldhouse. Speaking of which, it does seem a bit much to charge $10 for a concert in the Fieldhouse with no seating on the floor. The promoter says Rastaman vibrations don't come cheap. MEANWHILE BACK IN THE OIL PATCH, the Edmonton recording scene is suddenly waking up. The Models' first single, Janie You're Wrong, has become the pick of the week in Vancouver's main station, with the band's first album to be released in a matter of days.

Fifth Avenue All Stars' Gonna Fly Now has been added in Windsor to the huge AM station listened to in Detroit just when the local band's plans are up in the air. Leaving For Maui, Footloose's surprise hit, refuses to die. The new line-up of One Horse Blue, has just released a new single off the upcoming album. Jenson Interceptor's first single. Crazy Monkey, may get good response across Western Canada too.

Even those pranksters, the Smarties, are releasing a single, Instinct Extinction. ODDS AND SODS: John Bell, co-manager of the Models with the band, will also manage One fjorse Blue, with drummer Ron Vaugeois. It appears Steve Pugsley will be the bass player for the band. Danny Makarus, veteran-victim of Edmonton's rock wars, is now working for the country label, Royalty Records. Don't miss Cambridge at the Riviera Rock Room this weekend a dynamite little Saskatchewan foursome.

Frank Ludwig, ex of Trooper, has joined Randy Bachman's outdated Ironhorse. Bye, Bye Frank. Edmonton new wave bands The News and Legal Limit were in Vancouver last weekend, playing at the Smilin Buddah, the punk-new wave club on the west coast. 1 1 LUWUUWhUd Patrick McGuigan, seated, and Wendell Smith Film industry slowdown blamed on budget administrative to creative staff. The-Conservative MPs did not appear impressed with two Oscars a film board employee placed on a committee table to dramatize the agency's international reputation.

"The people in my constituency don't care if you're liked in Los Angeles," said Scott Fennell (L Ontario). It was more important that average Canadians believed they were getting their money's worth from the agency. Mark Rose (NDP Mission-Port Moodv) wanted to introduce a motion The budget cuts were made by the previous Liberal government. But Liberal MPs on the committee pledged their support to help the film board obtain more money. Cost-conscious Conservative MPs appeared less sympathetic.

"I can't but believe some of your problems are of your own making," said Benno Friescn (PC Surrey-White Rock-North Delta). The British Columbia MP said the film board had run over budget on individual films and has too large a ratio of recommending the film board be given the $1 million to tide it over until next year. But there was not a quorum at the committee. Secretary of State David MacDonald wants the film board to receive the money but Treasury Board President Sinclair Stevens, who controls the government's purse, has not yet agreed, A decision is expected within a week. The film board's problems began when the previous Liberal government announced the agency's 1979-80 budget would be reduced to $40.7 million from $46.5 million the previous year.

OTTAWA (CP) The National Film Board is slowly dying because federal government budget cuts have idled cameras and prompted the agency's most creative talent to seek work elsewhere, James Domville, board chairman, told MPs Thursday. "We're going to wake up one morning after three or four years and we'll have lost our lifeblood and we will in fact be on our deathbed," said the chain-smoking Domville as he appealed to a Commons committee for $1 million in emergency funding. "SHOULDN'T WE GIVE CANADIANS CHANGE? ACHA AW mr 'X i fy A When ou shop, ask to see Canadian products. A lot of Canadian jobs depend on us giving Canadians a fair chance. So we should do it, shouldn't we? -4 GooverremeTt dii Canada of Canada Canada; tr'dList'v Trade Industrie and Commerce et Commerce.