Season 13 Episode 5a
‘As a theatre performer I wanted to review the episode about theatre!
This episode opens with Arthur and Buster filming their own homemade show opening. Of course, they didn't make it far before D.W. came in and stole the spotlight.
“But Grandma... can't you hear the whistle blowing?”
Muffy, Francine, and Fern are out grabbing ice cream when Muffy and Francine share that they are going to be auditioning for the famous Elwood City Director William Toffman's (voiced by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman) play, It Began With a Whistle. Our friends audition, and to her surprise, Fern is cast in the play.
Alongside Mr. Ratburn, Mr. Crosswire, and Grandma Thora, Fern joins the cast and begins to look over her lines. She discovers she only has one line. “But Grandma... can't you hear the whistle blowing?” She is a natural! She imagines herself in shining lights and winning an award for her performance. It's clear that she is enjoying the actress life. Until... a conversation with Muffy at the Sugar Bowl ignites a bit of fear in her as she begins to contemplate the fact that she will be performing in front of “hundreds” of people. Fern begins to study her acting methods and practices a little too much. The Director has a conversation with Fern and reminds her that she doesn't have to become her character, she should become like her character. Fern now realizes that she has nothing to worry about.
PLACES EVERYONE! It's showtime and in theatre things never go how we want them to.
Granda Thora forgets her line and Fern jumps in to save the day! It's live theatre so of course she has a tiny hiccup and says "Can't you hear the thistle blowing?” Eventually, she fixes the mistake and we finally hear our favorite line of the show, “Can't you hear the whistle blowing?”
This episode is reassuring and helps us all realize we don't have to overdo it, We are perfect just as we are, even in high-pressure situations such as performing in theatre.
By Channy
HOME