A few of the many many many reasons I didn’t like this production: – Geraint Wyn Davies is one of the least vulnerable actors I’ve ever seen. He reminds me so much of Henry Breedlove (his Slings & Arrows character) when all I want is for Macbeth to be played by Oliver Dennis (not literally; […]
We are now approaching the end of what I am tempted to call “Shakespeare Season” in Toronto. In addition to Stratford’s nearby productions (this year King Lear, Antony & Cleopatra, King John, and two excellent Midsummers), Canadian Stage served up Titus Andronicus and As You Like It in High Park, the Fringe Festival played host […]
Resident Artist Paula Wing writes program notes for almost all Soulpepper productions. I always read them but I usually forget them the moment I finish. Her notes on A Tender Thing, however, are not quickly forgettable but rather remarkably personal and lovely. She talks about the power of hearing familiar words in a new context […]
I’m just going to be upfront with you guys- the co-producer of this show Melanie Hrymak (who also plays Tybalt) is a friend of mine; she also occasionally writes for this site so it’s not as if it would have taken your best detective skills to discover this badly kept secret. A few weeks ago, […]
This was an interesting Stratford season because, overall, it felt like one of the weakest in awhile (three dull Shakespeare productions, a dud musical and a handful of uninspiring plays- something went seriously wrong this year). But it also contained my favourite production to come out of the festival since 2011 (Chris Abraham’s joy of […]
Canadian Stage’s annual Shakespeare in High Park (formerly known as Dream in High Park but apparently that was too confusing) is always fun for its picnic-under-the-stars tone, even if the plays are bad. Which is important, because this year’s productions aren’t exactly good. Neither is a complete loss- both Titus Andronicus and the slightly more […]
Nothing says feminism quite like equal opportunity fat jokes; enter Theatre@First’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry the 4th. Gender-bending such a grotesque, masculine figure as Falstaff might sound unworkable, but as with most other elements of this production it’s a surprisingly serviceable and believable approach to giving the play contemporary appeal. It’s always a challenge to […]
While the summer months can be sweltering in the Greater Boston area, many actors escape to the suburbs to perform outdoor Shakespeare for local audiences. Many companies choose to perform crowd favorites like As You Like It and Comedy of Errors, but The Gazebo Players of Medfield present The Winter’s Tale, a late Shakespeare romance, […]