Shakespear in the Park

As You Like It 

Photo by Justin VanLeeuwen @ JVLPhoto. Depicted left to right: Katie Ryerson (Rosalind), Matthew J. Lundvall (Orlando), Katie Ryerson (Ganymede), Kate McArthur (Audrey), Catriona Leger (Phebe), Geoff McBride (Silvius)

Evenings from July 3 to August 16th, a Company of Fools will be performing throughout Ottawa at a park near you! This is a Pay what you can event. Show starts at 7pm.A Company of Fools is Ottawa’s longest-running professional Shakespeare company: our mandate is to produce innovative, entertaining and accessible shows based on the works of William Shakespeare.

In order to escape the political jungle of lethal ‘wrastlers,’ family feuds and tyrannical leaders, a motley crew of characters find themselves in the Forest of Arden.  This place of exile quickly becomes a hotbed of foolishness as the banished Rosalind, disguised in men’s attire, comes across her love, Orlando.  Not wanting to be recognized, she calls herself Ganymede and offers to be Orlando’s servant, of sorts.  Because in Shakespeare when a girl wears pants she’s instantly unrecognizable, Orlando agrees to take wooing lessons from ‘Ganymede’ to ease the burden of his own broken heart over Rosalind.   Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, a band of quirky castaways, led by Rosalind’s exiled father, Duke Senior, all attempt to rediscover themselves.  Each Fool seeks out love, friendship and transformation amid the chaos of the forest where true romance must inevitably conquer all! 

Bring a lawn chair or blanket, bug spray and a sense of humour. All ages show.  Pass-the-hat donations are collected at the end of the performance and can be submitted in the form of cash or cheque.

For a list of locations click HERE