Earl's last experience on the stage, circa December 1984.
Kevin had an extra ticket to see Ronnie Burkett's Billy Twinkle, Requiem for a Golden Boy and graciously invited me along. It's been too long since I headed out to the Citadel to see a play, and I'm very glad I did.
Believe it or not, I remember Ronnie Burkett from Harriet's Magic Hats, an educational show that used to play on Access Network in the 80s. He's come a long way since then. Twinkle is a funny, sad, pathetic, brilliant, subversive, multilayered one-man/many-marionettes show that isn't afraid to make its audience uncomfortable in the pursuit of emotional truth. Well worth seeing.
I'm very glad Kevin invited me, because it's been way too long since I set work and home life aside to take just a small slice of time to appreciate art. Driving home at night on a warm fall evening with the window rolled down, I reflected on my old adolescent dreams of becoming an actor, shot down at that one audition at CBC, where it was decided I'd make a far better host than dramatic player.
And so it goes. Since tonight's show drew heavily on Shakespeare, I feel no irony whatsoever in recalling that life's but a stage, and we are merely poor players...
