Ethan Claymore

by Norm Foster | directed by Claudia Wade
Thurs.-Sat., Dec. 3-5 & 10-12
Tues., Dec. 15, Thurs.-Sat., Dec. 17-19
8:00 p.m., The Baby Grand Theatre

L-R: Nicole Onyskiw, Kevin Fox and Rick Cairns.

Ethan Claymore has been mourning his young wife's death for five years now. Just before Christmas, his neighbour Douglas arrives to tell him that his period of mourning is officially over, and it's time for him start getting out more.

He should start by joining Douglas and his buddies at the local Fina station each afternoon, where they talk about nothing. "The afternoon passes, and our minds go completely unchallenged." But there's more.

Coincidentally, a new schoolteacher - single, female schoolteacher, that is -- has just arrived in the rural community. Also coincidentally, Ethan's older brother Martin has just died. His ghost shows up to reinforce Douglas' message that it's time for Ethan to get on with his life.

"A compassionate comedy, warm and sincere." - Hamilton Spectator

L-R: Mike Sheppard, Liam McConnell-Radford and Will Britton.

The fact that nobody but Ethan can see or hear Martin makes for some comic moments, though the picture of Ethan and Martin's childhood relationship that emerges through flashbacks is less happy.

Helped on by over-productive chickens and lots of rum eggnog (consumed mostly by Douglas) the whole thing turns out well in the end, promising a happy evening of holiday-season entertainment.

Phil Perrin.

Norm Foster

Norm Foster was born in Newmarket, Ont., and raised in Toronto. He studied radio and television arts at Centennial College in Toronto and Confederation College in Thunder Bay, and had a 25-year career in radio - some of it in Kingston - before a friend persuaded him to go to a community theatre audition in Fredericton, N.B.

Foster, who says he had never seen a play until then, got the lead role (Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey), fell in love with theatre, and two years later wrote Sinners, which Theatre New Brunswick produced.

He went on to become Canada's most produced playwright and has written about 40 plays. They include The Motor Trade, The Affections of May, The Melville Boys and Wrong for Each Other.

He has also written a musical with composer Leslie Arden (The Last Resort) and four musicals (Jasper Station, Race Day, Sitting Pretty and One Moment) with composer Steve Thomas.