Four rooms - Shawn Loughlin editorial
As you read this column week after week (after week), you must think to yourself, “How could it ever get better than this?” I don’t know that even I have the answer to that question - though I appreciate your compliment nonetheless - but that doesn’t mean I can’t try to find it right alongside you.
So, what’s better than one column from Shawn Loughlin? How about four mini-columns? Let the great experiment begin!
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As I watched The Donnellys: A Trilogy wrap up on the weekend, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a hot take former reporter Denny Scott and I had for many years. It is that Cam Laurie, a local who has taken on several memorable roles at the Blyth Festival, including in the aforementioned trilogy, has the best Festival performance of recent years.
For a theatre company that has played host to the J.D. Nicholsens, Catherine Fitchs, Randy Hughsons and Severn Thompsons of the world, it was Laurie as the dead plane passenger in Falling: A Wake, sitting motionless for an hour and a half while Fitch and Tony Munch put on an acting clinic, who gets my acting praise. Think it’s easy? Try it.
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Speaking of the Donnelly shows, this week marks my third and final review of the plays and my third and final failed attempt to work an anecdote into one of them. And here it is! (Warning, strong language lies ahead.)
In Goodfellas, Henry Hill tries to make sense of his friend being murdered as a result of some real high-level mafia stuff, saying, “It was among the Italians - it was real ‘greaseball’ shit.” As I watched the Donnelly shows, as someone with an Irish last name, I couldn’t shake that the story of that family and its murderous neighbours is “real ‘Mick’ shit”. In fact, that was my one-line review for Jess.
Growing up as a liberal thinker in Catholic school (which I won’t dare dive into in a mini-column), I admit to not quite understanding the quarrels between those of different religions that all follow Jesus. Like, you all follow Jesus, so you’re all on the same page, right? Far from it. I’ll never understand it.
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Late last month marked what would have been Terry Fox’s 65th birthday. Fox died at the tender age of just 22, but his name still echoes and his impact remains massive.
Here at The Citizen, we just marked the retirement of a long-term employee, Dianne Josling. I don’t know about you, but when I think of 65, I think of retirement. To think of Terry making it to an age of retirement is both inspiring and sad at the same time.
I hope to make it to 65 and beyond, just like everyone else in the world. To think of how long ago it was that Terry died and all he could have done between then and now really puts the magnitude of his loss into perspective.
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Another column I’ve been wanting to write, though I don’t think I could pick enough meat off the bone is about the birds and the bees.
I remember Jess asking me if either of my parents had a ‘birds and bees’ chat with me.
As a teen, I remember watching Lethal Weapon 2 with my dad and he (briefly) explained the importance of condoms (there is a scene in that movie in which Murtaugh’s daughter stars in a condom commercial and his cop buddies find it rather hilarious).
Think it’s silly (as I do) and say what you will (as I have), but I never fathered a child until I was ready and working towards starting a family. So, thanks Lethal Weapon 2!