Shakespeare’s Sonnets: Transforming the Voices of Montreal
Infinititheatre at Moyse Hall
McGill University 853 Sherbrooke St. West
Arts Bldg.
One-week limited engagement, until Saturday October 27
With: Charles Bender, Shawn Campbell, Ellen David, Manouchka Elinor, Holly Gauthier-Frankel, Carmen Grant, Mariah Inger and Amir Sám Nakhjavani
This production is superbly directed by Guy Sprung who is no stranger to audiences in Montreal and Toronto. Nor is he a stranger to the works of William Shakespeare having directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Russian at the Pushkin Theatre in Moscow. He is also the Founder of the outdoor Shakespeare in High Park in 1983.
Guy has collaborated once more with Brian Smith with whom he worked on projects at the Stratford Festival, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Toronto Free Theatre and Infinitheatre, including Romeo and Juliet and Richard lll. In 2014 at the Stratford Festival Brian served as Mask Master for Guy Sprung’s theatrical reimagining of Shakespeare’s Sonnets, which played to enthusiastic audiences.
The cast consisting of five female and three male actors all perform admirably and on cue while a video plays behind them showing interesting scenery and also a hint at the sonnet being reinterpreted. There is dialogue at times directed at the audience, and even an impromptu sing-along. All in all it makes for a very pleasurable outing and the 75 minutes without intermission will hold your interest throughout. If you like the works of Shakespeare you must see this play. If you don’t like the works of Shakespeare you still must see this play.
