Shakespeare in Canada Essay examples -- William Shakespeare

Shakespeares Dream, A Canadian RealityLove. Shakespeare has a lot to say to the highest degree love, but mind you, so do The Beatles,Neil Young, and Bob Dylan. Montrals Repercussion Theatre recognizes theuniversality of the thematic concepts that appear throughout Shakespeares plays and, inthe summer of 2004, staged a distinctive yield of A Midsummer Nights Dream*.Setting the romantic comedy in unfermented France, Director Kevin Orr adapted the words fromthe 1600s to include music from the 1960s, French and English dialogue andAmerindian mythology. Through this productions staging, characters and setting, aswell as the unmistakable element of humour, I discovered a unique theatrical experiencethat is not only representative of Shakespeare in my Canada, but Shakespeare in myQubec.I was first introduced to Repercussion Theatre during the summer of 2002 when Iattended a performance of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged at theVieux-Port in Old Montral (Appendix B). Even though Repercussion Theatre stagescertain shows indoors, they are revered for their Shakespeare-in-the-Park series which,during the summer months, tours the parks of Montral and the surrounding areas. Bymoving from ane location and community to the next, the production adopts qualities ofthe environments that the local audiences are familiar with, thus personalizing the* * Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the 2004 staging of A Midsummer Nights Dream, but have foundthe production to be very accessible based on my previous exposure to the company, the availability ofarchival materials, and discussions with those who were present at performances. 2theatrical experience. In the case of A Midsummer Nights Dream, t... ...mmer Nights Dreamupholds the companys mandate to get to theatre that is accessible and affordable andrelevant to todays society (Appendix G-1). All while maintaining a clear foundation inShakespeares text, this productions stage environment, characters and settin g (in termsof language and content), and the humourous musical element embody the notions ofbilingualism, multiculturalism, and history that I associate with being a Canadian.Funded unaccompanied by Canadian institutions and individuals (Appendix C-7), it is clear thatRepercussion Theatre is committed to keeping Shakespeares Dream alive in Canada. 6Works CitedBarratt, Amy. Fairies, fur traders and bang power. Montreal Mirror 15 July 2004.17 Jan. 2005..Sinfield, Alan. Faultlines. Berkeley U of Californation P, 1992. 10-28.