Festival mounts two Shakespeare classics

For more than 400 years, theatre troupes have travelled to towns erecting pageant wagons or scaffolding and performed the venerable works of William Shakespeare.

The Bard also captivates Edmonton. Now in its 11th year, the Freewill Shakespeare Festival rolls out the carpet for a month of repertory theatre. Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth play at Hawrelak Park from June 29 to July 25.

Artistic director Marianne Copithorne directs the amorous comedy Much Ado About Nothing while John Kirkpatrick, one of St. Albert Children’s Theatre original thespians, returns to direct Macbeth, a dark tale of ambition, bloodlust, guilt and the supernatural.

Set in Europe during the Cold War, Macbeth (James MacDonald) returns from a victorious battle. He meets three Gypsy witches that foretell he will be crowned king.

Pushing her husband’s ambitions, Lady Macbeth (Melissa MacPherson) urges him to murder King Duncan (John Wright) and seize the throne. Racked with guilt over the murder, Lady Macbeth commits suicide. Macbeth, determined to hold the throne, slaughters innocents within his grasp.

“John was particularly intrigued by superstition,” says Copithorne, who played Lady Macbeth in the festival’s 1999 production. “The whole thing hinges on a prophecy and everything that happens is driven by that. Macbeth feels he’s unstoppable. But he’s also in an interesting place. The supernatural drives him and his wife is driving him.”

Copithorne believes this tight action thriller has a great deal to say about our lives. “The supernatural is something pop culture is attracted to. Look at what’s out there — The Ghost Whisper and Vampire Diaries, to name a few.”

On the lighter side, Copithorne captains Much Ado About Nothing, a frothy look at romance and matchmaking. After a victorious war, several young nobles set aside their weapons to take pleasure in the mystery of love. As ingénue Hero (Tess Degenstein) and Claudio (Jamie Cavanagh) enjoy an idealized love, the sharp-witted Beatrice (Belinda Cornish) and Benedick (John Ullyatt) prefer to bicker and spar. However, the villain Don John (Mark Jenkins) is isolated from the fun, and since he is not a part of it, threatens to destroy it by ruining reputations.

“In 400 years people haven’t changed much. They have the same weaknesses and they can allow themselves to believe gossip without finding out the facts. Sometimes people use gossip and rumour to make love and grow while others use slander and innuendo to destroy love.”

Much Ado runs on odd dates and Macbeth runs on even dates. Sign language interpretation is offered for the hearing impaired. Call 780-554-6083 or email [email protected] for details.