Only Shakespeare can take you from light mischief to dark magic in 48 hours.
This weekend I went full-on Shakespeare: The Merry Wives of Windsor on Friday and Macbeth on Sunday. It started with comedy and chaos and ended with three mysterious figures, rising ambition, and the unraveling of a man who would become king (a theme that hits close to home for this blog).
Macbeth isn’t just a story about power – it’s about what happens when desire outruns destiny. Desire reaches for the crown; destiny decides whether it actually fits. That clash between longing and fate sets the tone for everything that follows – ambition, paranoia, and the slow, inevitable unraveling of a man who was never meant to wear the crown.
Seeing both a comedy and a tragedy back‑to‑back reminded me why Bard on the Beach is such a Vancouver summer ritual. Whether it’s mischief in Windsor or madness in Scotland, the productions always find a way to make Shakespeare feel alive, modern, and unexpectedly relatable. I must say, the casting in both plays is remarkable – the actors are incredibly multi‑talented.
But back to the first play. I first saw The Merry Wives of Windsor at Bard on the Beach in 2012, and each time the story becomes a slightly different version of the original. I’m not sure if Shakespeare would be rolling in his grave or not, but the 2026 modern twist brings it straight into present‑day Vancouver, set inside a local FIFA‑obsessed community centre – with playful costumes, contemporary touches, and a cheeky energy. It’s one of Shakespeare’s lighter stories, full of schemes, disguises, and characters who feel surprisingly familiar even centuries later. It drew plenty of laughs from the audience. Yes, it’s really silly – but fun.
I saw Macbeth on the summer solstice – the longest day of the year – which felt strangely fitting. There’s something about watching one of Shakespeare’s darkest plays while the sky takes its time getting fully dark that makes the whole experience feel even more surreal. The staging, the pacing, the performances – everything felt sharp and intense. It’s a story that always hits hard, and this production leaned into that beautifully.
What struck me most wasn’t the plays themselves, but how differently they landed – one light, one dark, both reinvented for today. That’s the magic of Bard on the Beach: you never quite know what version of Shakespeare you’re going to get, but you always walk away thinking about it.
It’s also worth noting that Christopher Gaze, the founder and artistic director of Bard on the Beach, has been appointed to the Order of Canada – one of the country’s highest civilian honours. The recognition, presented by King Charles, highlights the impact he’s had on Canadian theatre and on the cultural life of Vancouver. Congratulations Mr. Gaze!
After spending the weekend under the tents, it’s easy to see why his contribution is being recognized at the national level.
By the way, you don’t need to be familiar with Shakespeare to enjoy these plays. Just saying.
For tickets: https://bardonthebeach.org/
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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