Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew Centre Stage at Mutli-Event Festival by the Marsh
(Please note - all peformances of Taming of the Shrew are outdoors UNLESS there is inclement weather - rain location July 9 - 12 is Live Bait Theatre, July 16 - 19 is Brunton Auditorium except July 18 is McCain Student Centre Cafeteria. Contact us for updates.)
The Festival by the Marsh, one of New Brunswick's largest summer festivals, will be presenting a fully mounted production of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew July 9 - 19 at the Mount Allison Swan Pond in beautiful Sackville New Brunswick. The play runs Thursday to Saturday at 7 p.m., with matinees at 2 p.m. on July 11, 12 and 19, and will be performed rain or shine (rain locations can be found by contacting the Festival or consulting their schedule). The cast of eighteen actors have been dressed in elaborate costumes by designer Sue Rose, and specially designed makeup by artist Emily Jewer. Local artist George Cochrane has created an array of fine 'millinery' and set designer Decima Mitchell will again dress the set with her usual flare and skill. The production is presented by Sackville's Tantramar Pharmacy, and is one of the major events of the two week long festival (running July 7 - 19) which also includes the Marsh Jazz/Blues/World Music Fest, a Writers Fest Day, a Family Day, other theatre presentations, and more.
The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare's best known (and perhaps morecontroversial) plays. This year's production is directed by well known Sackville based actor and director Stephen Puddle. "Recognising some of the potential difficulties in presenting '...the Shrew' to a modern audience, who have a very different appreciation of women than that expressed in the play, I felt to approach the entire staging of the play in a larger-than-life, slightly surreal way," explained Puddle. "Hence I decided to set the play in a circus or carnival setting, and then molded each of the characters around a persona expressed by some of the performers that we are often familiar with in the circus and carnival tradition." He promises a production that, " . . . is possibly a little different (but lots of fun) to how (people) have experienced Shakespeare in the past, but good theatre pushes the boundaries of what we're used to, at some time or another."
The play will also be the central event of "Our Voices" day (sponsored by the Craig Foundation) on Saturday, July 18. The day will explore this year's Festival theme (Our Voices) by presenting several things related to Shakespeare's portayal of women, and also women's history in Sackville. Events that day, all of which will be held at the McCain Student Centre on York St (except for Taming of the Shrew, which will be held at the Swan Pond weather permitting), include: at 12:30 a musical theatre workshop abbreviated performance of the musical Kiss me Kate (will also be performed on July 17); at 2 p.m. a rehearsed reading of the play Shakespeare’s Will (a one-woman play about Shakespeare’s wife) performed by Alison Hart and directed by Cordula Quint (will also be performed on July 14); at 4:30 p.m. a panel on "Shakespeare’s Portrayal of Women" featuring theatre practioners and academics from throughout the maritimes; at 6:00p.m. Sackville Women in History, a 50 minute Powerpoint presentation, and at 7p.m. The Taming of the Shrew.
Further informaiton on The Taming of the Shrew, or any of the Festival by the Marsh events, can be obtained by visiting www.festivalbythemarsh.ca or phoning (506) 264-2179 or toll free 1-866-890-6329.
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