There is something to be said for getting out to enjoy outdoor theatre in the Summer months.
Although I may stay ‘close to home’ in other months, now is the time when I enjoy venturing out to various neighbourhoods of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to enjoy some al fresco performances.
Over the past month, I have enjoyed three great outdoor productions.
OMKARRA
A Theatre Ya Knowww Production
Cast
Shriyanshi Quanoonongo as Om
Ranjeet Badesh as Dev
Shayagi Kirupakaran as Raani
Anuradha Grover-Tejpal as Maya
Daniya Ahmed as Ibha
Yash Patel as Yuvin
Elena Ahmed as Understudy
Creative Team
Director, Intimacy & Fight Director, Producer – Ethan Persyko
Playwright – Faizan Bokhari
What if Othello wasn’t about a fall from grace, but about a civilization standing tall? Omkarra blends Shakespeare’s classic with the visual grit of Omkara, the 2006 Bollywood film adapted from William Shakespeare’s Othello, written and directed by Vishal Bhardwaj.
Why South-Asian Theatre, Why Now?
South‑Asian artists represent one of the fastest‑growing creative labour pools in Canada, yet remain under 4 % of professional casts on major stages.
In our current geo-political climate, stories that humanise South‑Asian experiences, and refuse war‑time caricatures, are urgent acts of cultural diplomacy.
Hye’s Thoughts
Although a small community production, Omkarra drew me in. The blend of Shakespeare’s play with the Bollywood film reference works well here. Although this production is not a direct retelling of either Othello (the play) nor Omkara (the film), we still see themes of love, jealousy and politics play out well here.
It is great to see how emerging artists are reinterpreting ‘classical’ and contemporary stories. In Omkarra, I was invested in the outcome for all characters. The small cast played their roles with conviction. I also appreciated the story being told through a contemporary Desi lens, which was created through a collective process and the lived experience of South Asian artists part of the company.
The performance I attended was outdoors at the amphitheatre behind the Gallanough Resource Centre in Vaughan, Ontario. It is a small setting but on a cloudy, almost rainy-hot day, it was the perfect setting.
I also appreciated being able to connect and converse with members of the past after their performance. They were all very enthusiastic in speaking about their roles and how much they enjoyed working on this production. I am now much looking forward to seeing more productions from Theatre Ya Knowww.
Next up, they will be premiering GALLANO.H: A Site-Specific Musical on Grief, Memory & Parallel Universes back in Vaughan. Click here for performance schedule and tickets.
All images courtesy of Theatre Ya Knowww.
THE 39 STEPS
A Guild Festival Theatre Production
Cast
Sébastien Heins as Richard Hannay
Georgia Findlay as Annabella/Margaret/Pamela
Isaiah Kolundzic as Clown
Kiana Woo as Clown
Creative Team
Directed by Tyler J. Seguin
Costume Design by Carmen & Alex Amini
Sound Design by Ashley Naomi
Lighting Design by Adam Walters
Fight & Intimacy Direction by Siobhan Richardson
About The Production
Adapted by Patrick Barlow
From the novel by John Buchan
From the movie by Alfred Hitchcock
Licensed by ITV Global Entertainment Limited
And an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon
Part Hitchcock thriller, part classic spy novel, part Monty Python comedy, the show features a cast of four playing over 100 characters.
Richard Hannay, a Canadian in London, is leading a boring life when he meets a mysterious woman who claims to be a spy. After she is murdered in his home, Hannay is mistakenly accused and goes on the run to Scotland with an enigmatic organization called “The 39 Steps” hot on his trail.
From The Director
“Hitchcock’s spy thriller reinterpreted Buchan’s original novel and is reimagined here as an action-comedy where four actors conjure dozens of characters, locations, and plot twists using nothing more than bodies, props, and imagination.
Our production asks the audience to complete the illusions with us. Together, we conjure a world of spies, chases, disguises, and close calls. The transformations are fast, the stakes are high, and nothing stays still for long. It’s our love letter to live theatre and celebrates its agility, its ingenuity, and the magic that happens between actors and audiences.”
Hye’s Notes
Suspenseful. Funny… Ridiculously funny. Fast-paced, non-stop action with a bit of romance to boot. Simply cannot go wrong with this show.
Having seen the Hitchcock film, which is more serious by the way, it is almost shot for shot. This means the production team and cast had to work meticulously on all levels. Let us not forget this is a four-person cast performing outdoors in the Summer, no less.
Stellar casting in this very demanding and verbose production. Every single actor delivers on every level here. From every line, their timing, their use of space and physicality, I was enthralled from start to finish.
I am more of a spy-thriller instead of a romance kind of person, but the blend works really well in this condensed version of the story. I am not sure I have laughed out loud so much in the past few weeks, and I loved it. It was also great to feel and hear everyone around enjoy themselves just as much. A testament for a very excellent performance. Highly, highly recommend it!
The 39 Steps continues until August 3rd. Next up for Guild Festival Theatre (GFT) is Heratio, starting August 7th. For schedule and tickets, visit guildfestivaltheatre.ca.
I also want to mention and recommend adding the Theatre in Transit option to your GFT bookings. This is a FREE shuttle for GFT Ticket Holders running from the Kennedy TTC Station and Guildwood GO stations.
While on the bus, get ready to experience that evening’s play through an immersive live performance in the theme of The 39 Steps or Heratio, with great surprises in store. I thoroughly enjoyed my ride to the show and back; it made for a completely fun night out.
All images courtesy of Guild Festival Theatre.
ROMEO & JULIET
Canadian Stage – Dream in High Park
One of Shakespeare’s most adored and enduring plays, Romeo & Juliet is often described as one of the greatest love stories and romantic tragedies. Following the titular ill-fated lovers whose rival families, the Capulets and Montagues, are locked in a brutal blood feud, this iconic work has captivated audiences and artists for centuries and been reimagined within countless films, ballets, and more.
Multi-award-winning director Marie Farsi (Fifteen Dogs, Ghost Quartet) leads a great cast including park newcomers Praneet Akilla (SkyMed, Allegiance) as Romeo and Lili Beaudoin (I, Claudia, The Humans) as Juliet, with Matthew G. Brown, Joella Crichton, Daniel Krmpotic, Ziska Louis, Diego Matamoros, Dan Mousseau, Meilie Ng, Asher Rose, Mike Shara, and Michaela Washburn.
From The Director
“In shaping this production for the park, I was drawn to what lies beneath the romantic lens through which this story is so often viewed.
I chose to set the play in Southern Italy during the interwar period (1930s-1940s), a time of deep political unrest, rising authoritarianism, rigid gender roles, and stark economic divisions. It was a world clinging to moral order while chaos simmered beneath the surface. In this landscape, cycles of violence and vengeance are passed down like inheritance.”
Hye’s Notes
I will admit here this is not my favourite of Shakespeare’s plays. However, I also have not seen a production of Romeo & Juliet in a long time.
I will say I was quickly reminded why this is such a popular play after all. The dialogue is punchy and saucy, which matches the ‘neediness’ the young lovers are experiencing. They are barely in their late teens, after all. Everything is just ‘too much’ and ‘too intense’ and everyone seems to keep getting in their way to be free to love who they want.
From the cast to the lighting and set design, this is truly an enjoyable performance. It is a well-paced production that uses humour and poignant drama where it needs it. Shoutout to Praneet Akilla and Lili Beaudoin in the titular roles respectively. They really conveyed the intensity of young love; reminding us that under all the betrayal and fighting, they are simply young people trying to find their way in a world that continuously opposes them.
Glad I gave this play another chance. I also highly recommend it.
Romeo & Juliet continues until August 31st. Performance details, schedule and tickets are available at canadianstage.com.
Photos by Dahlia Katz.
