Book Réview : A saga of secrat dealings -~ working: al crossed purposes -- and general ineptness -in finding a. successor to Robin. Phillips as artistic. director of the Stratford Festival Is told in A. Stratford Tempest by Toronto theatre writer. Martin: Knelman.. . Before John Hirsch took the job 18 months ago and hired. producer Muriel Sherrin to . mount . last season's -program,. the festival came close to collapse. “If it had : died, Canada would have lost ‘a unique _ national treasure.and North America. a continental resource. That was Hirach’s view,. recounted. near the end of the book. But, as. he. said, this -native-born From the outset; Strat- ford looked to England for actors and directors because there was no great —~ pool of developed talent.in . Canada. That it should continue to do so when Phillips was appointed in 1973 to succeed. Jean Gascon, the festival's fist artistic director, smacked of ar- tistic colonialism. ; After five years, Phillips was ill or determined to’ quit. He had carried a far heavier burden than most artistic directors would, overseeing even such details as. the. quality of . paper used for souvenir country. has & great urge to | ~ hug all its troubles and ‘difficulties close to Its _ breast. And: Knelman serves the country, . and- particularly - the arts community, well-by hugging Stratford's troubles in... this ‘ book. ‘ Dispasstonately and with a: digging he ‘tells: just how delicate. the balance Is between business dealings ‘and artistic integrity. : - -Knetman first: seta the ‘scene with the beginnings of the Stratford Festival, when the late Tyrone Guthrie wa wooed hy Tom -Patterson, then a young Stratford - reporter covering city hall, to ‘come? to Canada and mount “| - Shakespeare festival in a tent beside the -. Avon River, i reporter’ § penetrating . the” “chairman, Robert V, Hicks, | notepaper packages sold in the festival's boutique. . _- Early in 1979 he wrote to festival’s | board a Toronto” corporation lawyer and festival fund raiser, that he would leave - at the end of the 1980 season. The board was determined — to hang onto him. The story of rivairies within the board, dealings -by -Hicks and other board, members,- unfeeling at- titudes of businessmen on theboard towards artists, and the artists suspicions of board actions fills the baok. The saga includes the appointment and sub- sequent dismissal of a four- member directorate -to succeed Phillips, the naming of John Dexter from .England isi its place and the subsequent federal - government’s refusal of a - work permit for Dexter, the ” . We hear 7. Woody. -Allen’s . Movie will be about none - other than’ Mae West. Isn't she’. a rather that unusual choice of sub- Jects fet, Allen? - ¥.G. “A. Ase everyone knows by- now, Woody takes | ' the: greatest ‘of pains to - make sure. the plots of. next: . his movies are shrouded in- the. tightest. secrecy. His '*fall_—project”” currently in production: is no exception. Singer — actress Marilyn Michaels tells me she was hired to do. ‘a\.Mae West .im- . personation in the film, but things didn’t work out. The, role, which in- volves singing at least one number, was taken over by female im- ‘personator Jim Bailey, whose interpretation of - Mae isa staple of his act. Marilyn may get to have — * the last“word, however. “about, . movie. She’s writing a book’ Woody’s -but “it: won't "come until the , pi-ture does. ' new . renewed search for a director and -finally .the acceptance of the pest by Anvolyed — too _ were Phillips’ plans to take the festival company to: the Haymarket In London, with Peter Ustinov and William Hutt in King Lear. These and other plans were aborted at great cost to the personalities? - The final two pages bring the saga right up to May, 1982, with Hirsch preparing festival .in settlement payments. The cast of characters in all this is legion. Knelman documents all their careers well, and makes the tangled drama. readable, although one wishes he painted better word pictures .of the. characters as people. What doe they look like? What mannerisms reflect — their lance globetrotting circuit, ~directing. The Jeweller's Shop, & play written by Pope John Paul 11 when was MEMBER BROKER for the June: opening of - Stratford's. 30th season, | Dexter back on the free- “and Phillips in. London a priest in Poland. | . “Some. people close to . Phillips were. betting that, before the end of 1962, he would: return to England permanently,” © Knelman concludes. “ Martin pages, $18.95)... REALTY WORLD - . Wa Mf, pili if f WEEN Het : 4619 Park Ave. FEATURES OF THE WEEK 635-4971. 13800 sq. sf. bedroom, cathedral entrance on large 90x122 corner lot. Central fireplace, ensuite Plumbing, wrap around patio viter rocf, large rec room, and double garage. Lot fully land- scaped with lots of fruit trees and shrubs, — three SUPERB HOUSEKEEPING! Charming, attractive, well-cared for home on large lot with excellent garden area, Bright ‘family room with wood stove. Three bedrooms, two baths, over 1000 $q, ff. Lots of frult trees and berries. + Vendor is willing to help. Three bedroom, fulf basemen? home with) = & fantastic, mountain view. The vendor wants to sell and will buy down the , mortgage fo 15 per cent: ‘tor one year. Listed at - $75,000 and open to . offers. -, Enjoy the sun In your ‘own backyard. Swim In the beautiful 18x26 pool. Large master bedroom has ensuite plumbing and baicony overlooking ‘the pool. Situated on a quiet sfreet in - the Horseshoe area.