by Imtiaz Popat
Bard on the Beach celebrates Pride with its annual Bard Pride Night, on July 31 for a special night with The Merry Wives of Windsor and Goblin:Oedipus starting at 6pm.
The Bard Village opens at 5pm with special activities and a Celebrating culture, Pride and Diversity should be fun on Pride Night at the Bard.
This year the Bard on Beach has been caught up in the FIFA Frenzy in its reimagined Merry Wives of Windsor on the main stage at Sen̓áḵw–Vanier Park.
The take in the FIFA fever, Writer Bruce Horak and cowriter and director Rebecca Northan have reimagined this adaptation, starting of at the soccer field and the Windsor Community Centre.
The imagination works well as this Shakespear soap opera tale of a whimsical comedy full of flirtations and pranks. Although the this is modern adaptation, much of the Shakespeare dialogue is intact, which works well but sometimes confusing.
The other twist in this adaptation is a gender-neutral character. Sara Vickruck plays Slender, a non-binary character This also a diverse cast unlike the Shakespeare’s original characters. Rachel Angco plays Anne Page who in this rendition is the captain of the women’s soccer tearm and Simple. Cameron Grant plays Fenton is the captain of mens soccer team in this. Manish Sharma plays Mr.Page and Zahf Paroo plays Evans.
Over all the play was and story carried through with a standing ovation at the end. This rendition of the Merry Wives of Windsor is worth a watch in the backdrop of the FIFA Furor.in town. It’s a good gimmick to get people to go the Bard this year as party of the cultural entertainment for the world cup.
Bard on the Beach also continues its 2026 Season in the Douglas Campbell Theatre with Bard After Dark, four nights of late-night shenanigans by some of Canada’s best improvisers in August. Performances begin at 10pm on August 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 10pm,
Bard After Dark features a rotating cast of some of Canada’s best improvisers curated by Tightrope Theatre in this late-night cabaret.The inaugural series represents an exciting new chapter for Bard on the Beach as the Festival moves beyond the traditional performance.
Presented in partnership with Tightrope Theatre, Bard After Dark transforms the Douglas Campbell Theatre into an intimate late-night cabaret where every performance is completely unique. Featuring a rotating cast of some of Canada’s best improvisers, each show is inspired by audience suggestions, creating an evening filled with unexpected characters, musical moments, and laugh-out-loud surprises.
“One of the things audiences love most about Bard is the atmosphere and with Bard After Dark, we’re extending that experience late into the evening with something playful, spontaneous, and completely different,” said Christopher Gaze, Bard on the Beach Founding Artistic Director. “We hope audiences will make a night of it as they celebrate live theatre. Even if you aren’t seeing one of our productions before this event, you can still purchase a ticket to come experience Bard After Dark.”
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Bard, one of Vancouver’s most respected arts organizations,” said Ali Froggatt, Co-founder and Artistic Director of Tightrope Impro Theatre. “We can’t wait to bring some more mischief and play into these legendary tents that already hold so much magic. It’s an honour!”
The cast includes Rebecca Northan, Ali Froggatt, Bruce Horak, Peter Oldring, Jen Tong, Camille Legg, Jeff Gladstone, Lili Beaudoin, Ellis Lalonde, Sarah Ferguson, Tess Degenstein, Roman Danylo, Veena Sood, and Raf Rogers.
Adds Froggatt, “Our Ensemble at Tightrope includes many folks who’ve performed with Bard throughout past and present seasons, making this a merry cross over.”
This event is for audiences that are 16 years of age and older as it may contain mature themes and strong language that some people may find offensive. With Tightrope Theatre, anything can happen!
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