The Complete Wingfield Farms Cycle at Stratford-Perth Museum
In what some aficionados will no doubt consider the theatrical event of the season, the Stratford-Perth Museum will be presenting the entire Wingfield Farms canon, all seven plays, starring Rod Beattie, on seven consecutive Sundays from July 3 to August 14. The shows will be presented at the museums new outdoor stage.
Canadians will need no introduction or further explanation. My American readers probably have no idea what I’m talking about. Allow me to explain.
Rod Beattie, who was awarded the Order of Canada in 2017, is something of a Canadian national treasure. He is an actor of considerable stature who has appeared with some regularity at the Stratford Festival, most recently in Henry VIII in 2019. For a time he was married to the late Martha Henry, another Canadian superstar. He is also a gifted comedian.
The Wingfield Cycle, as it is known, is a series of one-man plays written by Dan Needles and performed by Beattie, playing Walt Wingfield, a fictional Toronto stockbroker who has turned to being a gentleman farmer in rural Ontario. He tells tales of his adventures and misadventures, his small triumphs and embarrassing defeats. The humor is gentle and understated. The nearest American equivalent I can think of is the Bert and I: And Other Stories From Downeast recordings of the late 50s.
The reason most Americans have never heard of Rod Beattie or Wingfield Farms is because the Poutine Curtain, which prevents Canadian culture from penetrating southwards, is extremely efficient.
But if your summer travels will take you to Stratford, by all means try to see at least one of these shows. For more information, visit the Stratford-Perth Museum website. Hurry, I suspect these show will sell out quickly.
Otherwise, you can get a taste of Rod Beattie’s and Dan Needles’ artistry on YouTube.
3 Responses
When will these seven plays be presented again? And where?
Beatty has occasionally been reprising some of the plays in the series at the Stratford-Perth Museum.
I have been an ardent fan of the Wingfield Farm series for the entire run of 35+ years starting with Wingfield Farm that I watched on CHCH TV in Hamilton where I lived for a number of years. I recorded it on VHS and, over the years, watched it so many times I wore out the tape. Fortunately, I had been connected to the WWW for years by then and discovered, online, that not only had there been more plays (6) but I could also buy the set on DVD. Since then, I’ve added the 7th to the collection and, once each year, I sit down and watch ALL seven, one after the other. At times, I’ve lent them to other to watch and have gotten, at best, a response best described as ” it was okay ” or ” needed more action “. I have thought about getting a ticket to see it live, but decided not to because I didn’t want it spoiled by have people sitting near me and being annoying, like so often happens in a movie theater. I hope that Rod (and company) continue to present these plays for years to come and bring joy to others the way they have for me. He and they are truly a national treasure.