Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival continues its 29th Season in Vanier Park with a ‘60s- inspired, Beatles-infused production of As You Like It.
The high-spirited, music-filled staging will be directed by Daryl Cloran, the Artistic Director of the Citadel Theatre. Cloran directed Bard on the Beach’s 2015 hit musical production of Love’s Labour’s Lost.
“For me, setting As You Like It in 1960s Vancouver felt like the perfect fit for Bard on the Beach,” says Daryl Cloran. “When I think of that time period, I feel an immense connection between The Beatles’ early music and the storyline of the play. The 25 Beatles songs we’ve chosen lend themselves perfectly to this romantic and spiritual story. The transition of The Beatles through the ‘60s is reminiscent of the free-spirited journey of the play’s main characters and the social and cultural evolution of Vancouver during that time.”
Cloran continues, “I was also inspired by memories of All-Star Wrestling in the heart of Vancouver – and I realized we could incorporate the laid-back environment of the Okanagan in the ‘60s to represent Shakespeare’s Forest of Arden.”
“We have an incredibly talented group of performers who are putting all of their skills to use throughout this production, whether it’s singing, dancing, playing in the band or wrestling” says Cloran.
“We’re working with talented choreographer and fight director Jonathan Purvis to literally bring audiences ringside, with an homage to the excitement of All-Star Wrestling in the ‘60s in Vancouver; then we transform the stage into the forest of the Okanagan. I can almost guarantee that audiences will be leaving the theatre this summer with joy in their hearts after experiencing this blending of Beatles music and Shakespeare’s words.”
As You Like It opens on Friday, June 22 at 7:30pm and ticket prices for all regular play performances start at $24. Purchase online at www.bardonthebeach.org.
Last modified: May 22, 2018
