bard on the beach

did you get to bard on the beach this summer? bard on the beach is canada's largest professional shakespeare festival; it's held every year in open tents in vanier park.  i finally bought tickets this summer and it was fantastic.  
 
first, there was a lovely picnic and game of croquet by the water in vanier park with the phillips.  after we indulged in good food, company and sunshine the phillips ladies and i headed over to see hamlet.  i have only ever heard good things about the festival so i had high hopes of enjoying myself!  despite the cast appearing in modern day clothing - i was, at first, a little disappointed that it was set in the 21st century with ipads and cell phones - i was immediately absorbed in the story... adultery, murder, revenge, the quest for truth, deceit, and tragedy... a story that could take place in any century. 
 
and i must say that the actor playing the lead role of hamlet was exceptional.  i first saw jonathon young playing the role of a ladies man in a laugh out loud ludicrously funny play (see my boeing boeing post here).  and then again in hamlet, i couldn't take my eyes off of him, he was so very convincing as the profoundly sad and tormented hamlet.  two very different roles and two awesome performances.  he has been compared to fred astaire,

"the way he moves, he’s magnetic. it’s like he’s dancing all the time, but you never see it. you feel like it’s so fluid and gorgeous and organic that you never disbelieve it but it’s always this incredibly thoughtful efficient economic way of moving. and i think that’s one of his amazing things; the way he uses this body and his natural charms and his courage."

 
shakespeare on a vancouver beach in july...  i'm certainly going to do it again next year!