I’m feeling a little pensive today as my 75th trip around the sun approaches.
I am reminded of a line I read by Robert Reich, American professor, author, lawyer, political commentator, and former US Secretary of Labor: “Life is short. But retirement is not the end. It just means more time to do what you like and less of what you don’t.”
It reminds me of what I told my friends when I retired from a thirty-year teaching career in 2008: “I may be retiring from teaching, but I’m not retiring from life.”
Not to say I did not enjoy my teaching career, I did. But after 30-plus years of teaching in the classroom and coaching on the playing field, it was time to move on.
Indeed, since retiring, I have published an independent arts magazine, The Beat Magazine, from 2009 to 2013 (which I recently revived as a website), written freelance for an advertising/marketing agency and numerous local publications (something I continue to do), and put together the Programs for Silver Spotlight Theatre’s productions of Babes in Arms (2023) and Into The Woods (2024).
Most recently, I became a volunteer member of the London Public Library’s Historic Sites Committee and, as such, initiated the erection of a commemorative Interpretive Signage/Plaque celebrating the contribution of Wonderland Gardens to London’s music history. (The unveiling takes place on Sunday, June 21, at 1:30 pm, at Springbank Gardens.)
I have also travelled abroad with my partner, Val Cavalini, as much as finances and time will permit, and spent plenty of time with my daughter’s family, Hilary Young.
Unfortunately, I received a recent, unexpected Prostate Cancer diagnosis. Luckily, due to regular PSA screening, it was caught early before it had a chance to spread. I underwent twenty consecutive days of radiation therapy in April 2026 and am keeping my fingers crossed that the treatment was successful.
My advice: Don’t view retirement as an end but as an opportunity.
Several years ago, my daughter bought me a baseball cap that reads “Retired, Not Expired.”
When 600 people crowded onto a boat in the Thames River near London, Ontario, on May 24, 1881, they expected a nice voyage to celebrate Victoria Day.
Instead, it became one of Canada’s worst maritime disasters that left nearly 200 dead.
This is the story.
In the 1870s, as London’s population grew, passenger boats began to appear that ran on the Thames River.
In 1878, the Forest City was launched, followed by the Princess Louise and Enterprise in 1879, the Admiral in 1880, and the Victoria that same year.
The Victoria was a paddle-wheel ship powered by a 60-horsepower boiler. She had two decks and ran 24 metres long. Built at a cost of $5,000, she could accommodate 300 people at full capacity.
Typically, Victoria Day was the busiest day for the ships on the Thames.
On May 24, 1881, the Victoria began transporting people along the river at 9 a.m. She made two round-trip river trips on the river twice before docking at London, Ontario, at 3:30 p.m. to reload with passengers with a 5 p.m. departure.
After the Forest City ran aground on a sand shoal, the Princess Louise aided in transporting passengers off it. This left the Victoria to ferry passengers to ports along the river.
Before long, the Victoria was dangerously overcrowded with people.
People boarding the overcrowded vessel didn’t seem to care about the number of people on the ship. The vessel sat very low in the water due to the weight of the passengers, but many passengers joked that the river was too shallow to cause a disaster.
Eventually, the captain refused to take on any more passengers. By this point, there were 600 people on the ship. Many were rowdy, causing a rocking of the vessel. To stop the voyage, the captain steered the ship to a sandbar near present-day Greenway Park.
At this same moment, two members of the London Rowing Club started to race each other on the river. Passengers on both decks of the Victoria rushed to the starboard side to watch, causing an imbalance. The ship lurched to starboard and then to port.
This caused the boiler to break from its mountings on the lower deck. As it tumbled, it sent scalding hot water over several passengers. It then hit the support beams and railings on the port side, sending the upper deck collapsing onto the lower deck.
A significant number of passengers fell off the ship into the muddy riverbed. As the ship keeled over onto her port side, they were crushed.
The vessel then righted and began to sink in the river. It sank up to its upper level, drowning many trapped on the lower level.
As people fell into the water, many had trouble swimming. Women, wearing heavy dresses, started to sink in the water that was 3.5 metres deep. Many people were unable to swim.
Many locals attempted to rescue people from the river as they approached the shore.
An estimated 182 to 198 people died in the disaster. It was one of the worst maritime disasters in Canadian history at that time.
The disaster led to the decline of riverboats on the Thames, with the last of the ships sailing into the late 1890s.
The Victoria was slowly destroyed by people salvaging pieces. For years, the boiler was a popular place to dive off of by youths in the area.
While the event is still well-known in the London area, it has mostly been forgotten in the rest of Canada.
(Pictured: Members of the Guys and Dolls company. Photo: David Hou.)
Full Disclosure: I’ve always been a sucker for full-scale Broadway musicals. And, before the “Drama Police” show up in my Facebook Comments, I appreciate drama and “serious issues plays” just as much as the next guy. But there’s something about musicals that attracts me to them every time.
From the opening chords of its first production number to the final bows of its outstanding Cast, the Tony Award-winning production of Guys and Dolls, now playing in previews at the Stratford Festival, is a spectacle that theatre-goers do not want to miss, if for no other reason than to allow them to escape the harrowing front-page news of 2026.
Let’s start with the stellar veteran Cast.
I would gladly pay to hear Stratford veteran actor Dan Chameroy read a phone book. His portrayal of Sky Masterson, a notoriously lucky gambler willing to bet on just about anything, is brilliant. Add to that Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane, the focus of his unrequited love, as the pious and beautiful Sergeant Sarah Brown of the Save-a-Soul Mission, and you have a winning combination.
The play’s other love story between small-time gambler Nathan Detroit, played masterfully by Mark Urhe, who runs a floating craps game in need of a location, and his long-suffering fiancée of fourteen years, Miss Adelaide, played by Jennifer Ryder-Shaw, is equally appealing.
(Pictured: Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane and Jennifer Ryder-Shaw. Photo: Dan Hou.)
The supporting cast of stereotypical small-time grifters adds an extra dimension to the story and further encourages the audience to suspend their disbelief. Characters with names like Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Steve Ross), Benny Southstreet (Gabriel Antonacci), Rusty Charlie (Devon Michael-Brown), Harry the Horse (Henry Firmston) and Big Julie (Juan Chioran) come and go on the stage with great aplomb.
(Pictured: Members of the company. Photo: David Hou.)
The ensemble actors shine in the show’s outstanding production numbers, choreographed by Stratford veteran, director Donna Feore. Stunning dance moves, accentuated by impossible gymnastic feats, leave the audience gasping for air.
The play’s costumes and sets are a joy to behold, as is expected of Stratford Festival productions. The men are dressed in garish vintage 1940s pinstripe suits, while the women look like they walked off the screen of a classic Hollywood film noir.
Sets range from a dingy New York City streetscape, a Havana nightclub, a lively cabaret, a mission, and a NYC sewer! Set changes are done quickly and seamlessly.
(Pictured: Members of the company. Photo: David Hou.)
And the music!
Under the baton of Music Director, Franklin Brasz, the cast and pit orchestra perform songs that have become part of the Great American Songbook, including If I Were a Bell, A Bushel and A Peck, Guys and Dolls, and, of course, Luck Be A Lady.
At the preview performance I attended on Saturday, May 23, audience members could hardly wait to jump to their feet to give the cast a well-deserved standing ovation amidst shouts of Bravo.
(Pictured: Devon Michael Brown with members of the company. Photo: Ann Baggley.)
To be sure, if you are a fan of musical theatre (and even if you aren’t), you don’t want to miss this outstanding production.
As a rule, the Stratford Festival presents two major musical productions each season. Last season’s box office smash, Something Rotten, returns to the Festival stage for a command performance. Featuring many of the cast members of Guys and Dolls, it’s definitely a show you want to see if you missed it last year.
Reviewed by Richard Young, Publisher & Content Manager of The Beat Magazine 2025.
At the unveiling of the London Public Library Historic Sites Committee’s commemorative plaque for the London Cricket Club at North London Athletic Fields on Saturday, May 9, 2026.
I joined my fellow Historic Sites Committee members in congratulating the Cricket Club on its enduring presence in the London sports community.
That’s Historic Sites Committee member Lindsay Kernohan at the podium. Lindsay initiated the process that led to the plaque unveiling.
What follows is a Q&A Interview with Brian Speagle, Director of Memoir playing at the Manor Park Memorial Hall from April 29 to May 3. The Interview was conducted by The Beat Magazine’s Publisher & Content Manager, Richard Young.
(Pictured: Director Brian Speagle with Charlene McNabb and Dan Curtis.)
Q. Tell me about Memoir – backstory, author, performance history, etc.?
Memoir is set in the summer of 1922. It will prove to be Sarah Bernhardt’s last. The action of the play takes place at her island estate off the coast of Brittany, France. Sarah, with her secretary and assistant Georges Pitou, is doing her best to remember events from her life to be included in volume two of her memoirs. Sarah Bernhardt dominated the world of theatre for most of her life, in France, all of Europe, and North and South America. The Divine Sarah achieved worldwide fame in the 19th century, which was unprecedented. Sarah Bernhardt was known as much for her personal life, which today would have been tabloid and internet fodder, as for her multitude of on-stage personas.
Canadian playwright, the late John Murrell, premiered Memoir at the Guelph Spring Festival in 1977. It has since been presented in the UK, Ireland, Japan, and the U.S. It enjoyed a two-year run at the Theatre Edouard VII in Paris. The play has also been adapted for TV and film in Canada, Europe, and Asia.
Q. What prompted you to select Memoir for your 2026 season?
I first came in contact with this play in 1978, when I was in a scene study class at university. I played ‘Pitou’ in a few scenes! I also used Memoir in my teaching career with senior drama students. After forty-five years, I decided it was time to direct this show.
Q. Could you provide a brief Plot Synopsis
Sarah Bernhardt is trying to write volume two of her memoirs. She enlists Pitou to play characters from her past, to jog her memory. At first reluctant, Pitou eventually begins to revel in his roles. As the play proceeds, however, many of her memories become painful and traumatic for her. In the end, Sarah comes to accept her life decisions, and the play ends on an optimistic note.
(Pictured: Sarah Bernhardt.)
Q. It’s my understanding that Sarah Bernhardt performed in London. How, if at all, does this play into the show?
Sarah’s appearances at the Grand Opera House in London, Ontario, do not play directly into the show. However, she may have worked closely with a local stagehand or two! You’ll have to see the show to find out!
Q. Two-character plays can sometimes present significant challenges to the actors. Comment?
The text of Memoir presents a major challenge for actors. The ‘Sarah’ character is on stage for the entirety of the action. It is physically and emotionally demanding for both actors.
Q. Could you say a few words about your actors – Charlene McNabb and Dan Curtis?
I first presented Charlene and Dan with this script in 2019! We were hoping to produce it in 2020. Well, we know how that turned out! After seven years, we are all quite enthused to finally stage Memoir for London audiences. Throughout the rehearsal process, Charlene has been totally committed to faithfully developing ‘Sarah!’ She has done extensive research into the amazing life of her character, and that background dedication shows in her portrayal. Dan Curtis takes on the demanding role of ‘Pitou’ with aplomb, as he does with every character I’ve seen him portray. He plays several characters within the character of ‘Pitou,’ sometimes switching back and forth within the same sentence. Quite amazing to witness. Charlene and Dan are both experienced actors, and their professionalism is first-rate.
Q. Why did you choose Manor Park Memorial Hall for this run?
Manor Park Memorial Hall was, for me, the natural choice for this show. The set design invites the audience into an intimate environment with the actors. We are doing something different with the seating, which theatregoers will notice as soon as they enter the space.
Q. How would you describe the sets, props and costumes of the play?
The set is minimal, a few flats. Most of what the audience sees onstage is furniture and props. Tannis Daoust, our costume designer, has done her research for the historical era of the show, and the results are wonderful.
Q. What can audiences expect from Memoir?
The audience can expect some laughs and some tears. I hope they learn something about Sarah, the complexities of her life, and the contradictions. They will also notice the strong bond between Sarah and Pitou as the play unfolds.
Q. Is there anything else you think readers should know about Memoir?
Murrell does take some poetic license with Sarah’s life. For example, in reality, Pitou was not in Sarah’s service at the end of her life.
About Scooter Productions:
Scooter Productions was formed in 2017. Founding members are Phil Cal, Heather Rivet, Sherine Thomas-Holder, and Brian Speagle. Scooter Productions encourages and supports all of the arts in southwestern Ontario.
A retired History and Politics high school teacher (1978-2008). Former Publisher/Managing Editor of The Beat Magazine (2009-2014). Freelance Writer. Proud Grandfather. View all posts by Richard Young
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