A classic love story meets with a piece of Victoria history when the curtain rises on this year's Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival.
The festival is sure to delight audiences this summer with a wild and uproarious production of Shakespeare’s most renowned play, Romeo and Juliet.
"Placed in a future built from the worst nightmares a civilization can bring on itself, one of the most recognizable love stories in the world still resonates in our hearts," states a festival release. "This new production, set against a backdrop of a dark dystopian possibility, strips Romeo and Juliet to the brutal core of two families willing to destroy each other at any cost in the name of power, legacy, and revenge."
The production is set against the stunning backdrop of Craigdarroch Castle’s historic architecture, where it will run from June 30 to July 19 (except Fridays). A pay-what-you-can preview will be offered at Esquimalt's Lampson School until June 28.
Under the direction of University of Victoria alumnus Karin Saari, the cast is composed of Victoria’s wonderful up-and-coming actors, many hailing from UVic’s Phoenix Theatre and the Canadian College of the Performing Arts.
"We are thrilled to platform queer artists' voices, along with staging this dark and hilarious tragedy at a beautiful backdrop such as the Castle," artistic producer Maddy Kirstein said in an email.
The Craigdarroch Castle performances will run June 30-July 5, July 7-12, and 14-19. All performances begin at 7 p.m., with seating open at 6:30.
Tickets to the Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival are $25-$30 and available through www.vicshakepeare.com, and must be booked in advance. Youth 15 years of age and younger are free.
