Last night under the tents we went again, to attend the opening of Bard on the Beach’s “The Two Gentlemen of Verona.” This is one of four plays being presented at the Vanier Park Venue.
Two Ladies of Vancouver at the Bard Boutique (with my friend + neighbour Marta).
This version of the play is a Shakespeare comedy of sorts, modernized with costumes, music, and a dog (of course we loved the dog best).
Jacob Leonard as Proteus & Matthew Ip Shaw as Valentine, The Two Gentlemen of Verona (2025). Directed by Dean Paul Gibson. Photo & Image Design by Emily Cooper.
There is a lot going on in this production, so for the sake of simplicity, I’ll sum it all up like this:
Two best friends, Valentine and Proteus, leave their hometown. Valentine heads to Milan and falls for Silvia, the ruler’s daughter. Proteus, originally in love with Julia, is sent to Milan too, but once he sees Silvia, he forgets all about Julia and tries to win Silvia for himself. Yikes. That’s men for you!
The Company of the Two Gentlemen of Verona – Photo by Tim Matheson.
Meanwhile…Julia disguises herself as a guy (classic Shakespeare move) and follows Proteus. There’s betrayal, heartbreak, mistaken identities, and even a very clever dog named Crab who steals scenes left and right.
Mason as Crab (the only dog role in the Shakespearean canon). Scott Bellis as Launce, Photo by Tim Matheson.
Tess Degenstein as Julia, Photo by Tim Matheson
In the end, all is forgiven far too quickly, love is restored, and the play wraps with everyone paired off and pals again. Oops…sorry about the spoiler alert. Believe me, if you see it, you won’t remember this ending.
Jacob Leonard as Proteus Tess Degenstein as Julia, Photo by Tim Matheson
I attended the opening night of Vancouver’s “Bard on the Beach” last night for “Much Ado About Nothing.” It appeared from the overall audience reaction, that this production was very well received. While I enjoyed the play and found the actors compelling, it is not one of my favourites of Shakespeare’s works.
With Marta – my lovely friend & neighbour.Our beautiful Kits Point Backdrop behind the stage – before the start of the play.Before the play started, a few words from Artistic Director Claire Sakaki & Executive Director Christopher Gaze.
The phrase “much ado about nothing” means a lot of fuss or commotion over something unimportant. It’s used when people get worked up or excited about a situation that turns out to be trivial or not worth the attention.
Nothingcomes from the play’s title itself; a clever pun. In Elizabethan English, “nothing” was often pronounced like “noting,” which meant noticing or eavesdropping. So the title can also mean “Much Noting About Nothing,” hinting at how the entire plot revolves around overheard conversations, misunderstandings, and mistaken identities. Kinda like life itself at times.
For example, in Act 1, Scene 1, Beatrice jabs at Benedick with: “I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.” It’s witty, sharp, and shows how their “merry war” of words masks deeper feelings.
Jennifer Lines as Beatrice and Sheldon Elter as Benedick, Photo by Tim MathesonAngus Yam as Claudio, Matthew Ip Shaw as Don Pedro, and David Marr as Leonato, Photo by Tim Matheson
Sometimes I wonder why people are laughing at a certain scene or something that I personally do not find funny. I turned to my friend and asked “why are they laughing?” She replied “You know, humor is a funny thing.” To which I replied “well, that’s what it’s supposed to be.” Then we both laughed.
If you’re into clever insults, romantic drama, and some old-school scheming, this play’s a classic.
So next time someone’s making a big deal out of a minor issue, you’ve got the perfect phrase to describe it.
“As merry as the day is long.” Two of Shakespeare’s most tumultuous couples – sparring singles Beatrice and Benedick, and young lovers Claudio and Hero – discover all is not as it seems in an idyllic town recovering from war. Will the truth win in this mischievous game of love? Secret love, courtship, and marriage intertwine with darker themes of warfare, deception, and mischief in Much Ado About Nothing. Romance, wit, and mistaken identities power this new staging of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy full of colourful characters, passionate poetry, and Shakespeare’s wittiest wordplay.
Jennifer Tong as Hero and Angus Yam as Claudio, Photo by Tim Matheson
Watch Trailer:
Production run dates subject to change.
Production run time: 2 hours 45 minutes, including 20 minute intermission.
You know when you’re on the fence about going to a Shakespearean play after a long days drive coming back from the Okanagan?
We’re so lucky to be within 5 minutes walking distance. Photo: d. king
But you already have tickets for opening night and you know there’s something different about this show but you’re not completely sure if it will be hit or miss? And you don’t even realize that the Okanagan will play a big part in this production?
Well…don’t miss this presentation of “As You Like It” if you live in Vancouver or you just happen to be visiting. Get thee to the Bard on the Beach to see something unique, uplifting, professionally done and so much fun. I haven’t enjoyed a show this much since I saw Cirque de Soleil’s “Love” in Las Vegas.
Photo & Image Design: Emily Cooper
If you’re a Beatles fan it will be especially fun because this is a twist on the original. This adaptation features the music of the Beatles – performed by professional musicians who are also actors in the play. And they’re very good.
The Company of As You Like It (2023) – Photo by Tim Matheson
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players” – Shakespeare
The Story (taken from the program):
Wrestling for Power
It’s the 1960s in Vancouver. Dame Frances, a powerful business owner, has taken control of the family firm and forced her sister, Dame Senior, to leave town. She permits her sister’s daughter, Rosalind, to stay because of Rosalind’s close friendship with her own daughter Celia.
The action begins at a wrestling match. Oliver de Boys, who manages a champion wrestler named Charles, argues with his younger brother Orlando. Orlando is angry that Oliver has mistreated him and held back his inheritance since their father died. Orlando decides to wrestle for his fortune. At the match, he meets Rosalind and they fall instantly in love.
The Great Escape
Dame Frances orders Rosalind to leave Vancouver, as she no longer trusts her. Rosalind and Celia decide to run away to the Okanagan forest. Rosalind disguises herself as a young man, Ganymede, and Celia becomes Aliena, his sister. Touchstone, a family employee, goes with them. Meanwhile, Adam, a longtime de Boys employee, warns Orlando that Oliver plans to have him killed. They also escape to the Okanagan. In the forest, Ganymede (Rosalind) and Aliena (Celia) meet Silvius and Corin, two local farmers, and arrange to buy a farm. Nearby, Orlando and Adam stumble upon Dame Senior, the exiled sister of Dame Frances, and her companions, who take them in.
Love Blooms in the Woods
Orlando leaves love notes about Rosalind throughout the forest. He meets Ganymede (Rosalind), who proposes that Orlando treat “him” as Rosalind, so he can practice his wooing. Elsewhere, Silvius pines for another farmer, Phoebe, while Touchstone meets Audrey and they pair up. In Vancouver, Dame Frances is furious that the girls and Orlando have disappeared. She demands that Oliver bring his brother back or else she will ruin him. But when Oliver shows up at the young women’s farm, he announces he has reconciled with his brother after Orlando saved him from a mountain lion. Oliver and Aliena fall in love.
Help!
Orlando grows tired of Ganymede’s game and believes his love for Rosalind is hopeless. Other relationships are also complicated: Silvius is still in love with Phoebe, but she’s smitten with Ganymede. Claiming “he” can work magic, Ganymede invites everyone to gather the next morning, when all will be resolved. Could it be true that “all you need is love”?
Vancouver’s Shakespeare Festival “Bard on the Beach” is back with a 2022 lineup filled with laughter, suspense and excitement.
(A Midsummer Night’s Dream).
Why do people refer to Shakespeare as “the Bard?”
Since the word “bard” means poet, we’re essentially calling Shakespeare “the Poet” when we refer to him as “the Bard.” Since centuries upon centuries of poetry enthusiasts concur that he’s one of the greatest poets that has ever lived, it’s only fitting we call him “the Poet.” Thank you Google.
Our Bard Village is where festival goers from home and around the world can enjoy world-class plays, special events from light opera and VSO evenings to wine tastings with food & fireworks. Something that was certainly missed over the past two years. Luckily for me I can walk there in minutes.
I’m looking forward to attending the opening night of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Synopsis:
Shakespeare’s comic masterpiece follows four young lovers and a troupe of stumbling actors through enchanted woods, on a journey of discovery to find out who they are, whom they love, and why it matters. Beginning in a world in disrepair, the story moves to the forest, where the natural and supernatural have merged and elves, goblins, and talking trees guide the way. It’s time again to enter a place of love, laughter and magic!
“I adore this play – it’s full of joy, magic and love. This is my tenth (Dream) production and I can’t wait to see it onstage again!” – Christopher Gaze, Bard Artistic Director
Directed by veteran Bard director and actor Scott Bellis (director – The Two Gentlemen of Verona, 2017; Bottom – A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2014). Onstage from June 8 – September 24.
Vancouver Symphony OrchestraFireworks and Barbeque Night
Have you been?
Upcoming Plays:
Harlem Duet: This Governor-General’s Award-winning drama explores the complicated relationship of a Black couple in three key periods in the American Black experience: 1860, before the US Emancipation Proclamation; 1928, during New York’s Harlem Renaissance; and in post-civil rights 1997. Each setting reframes the story of the woman, her deep love for her partner, and her sacrifices – and resilience – in the face of his betrayal. With connections to Othello, Harlem Duet explores important contemporary questions about race, privilege and relationships.
Romeo + Juliet: Shakespeare spins a tragic and timeless story of two young people who fall deeply in love, in spite of a bitter feud that divides their families. Their passion – and Juliet’s courage – never fail to move and inspire us. And today more than ever, the play’s “two households alike in dignity” are a powerful reminder that with love, even the world’s greatest wounds can be healed. This production, in a classical setting, casts new light on Juliet’s experience.
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