"A Company of Fools, while still a rag-tag bunch of misfits at heart, now are producers of top quality shows that look and feel every bit as professional as productions from the GCTC and, dare I say, the National Arts Centre.”
That’s the assessment of Al Connors, longtime Fools performer and three-time director. His latest entry as the latter, a modern-day version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, will debut across Ottawa’s public parks this July and August.
Though Puck and company will be in modern dress, make no mistake; this is no production value short cut. “Believe me, it is not a cost saver,” explains Connors,. “Costumes are being built largely from scratch…the reason why this production will have a 21st century aesthetic is because I’ve always believed that A Company of Fools has taken a 21st century look at the work of Shakespeare.”
Not to mention a successful one. Such is the outfit’s rep these days (its “park cred”?) that its cult following has developed into a pseudo season’s ticket base. “Audience sizes have reached a tipping point – where people have been walking away from shows because they’ve been pushed so far back that it becomes hard to see and hear the show. So this year, to solve the problem, we have for the first time a travelling stage.”
And there’s one more innovation –three new cast members, gleaned from the company’s recent auditions. They’ll join veterans Carrie Leslie, David Whitely, and the ever-entertaining Richard Gélinas.
All in all, it should be a Midsummer’s Night to remember.
For information, go to fools.ca
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