It’s summertime, and that means Montreal’s Repercussion Theatre is once again taking their annual Shakespeare-in-the-Park production to green spaces all around the city. This free event is the perfect opportunity to get family and friends out for an evening under the stars.
This year’s production is Oscar Wilde’s lively, witty comedy The Importance of Being Earnest. Featuring a streamlined 1920s set that allows the actors to take centre stage, this production is a mesmerizing romp through the classic tale of high-society norms and mistaken identity.
Six incredible performers playing a series of characters—with wonderful and often wild costume changes—in a tongue-in-cheek masterpiece of wordplay, one liners, and the skewering of Victorian manners. The production also folds in a few well-placed winks at modern life—from impromptu dance moves to clever asides, dropped accents, and some very clever and comedic drag—much to the audience’s delight.
“This is not your mother’s Earnest,” say co-directors Rebecca Gibian and Adam Capriolo. “This is your drag mother’s earnest.”
Of course, the ultimate star of the show is Montreal itself, with evening performances shifting from bright light to sunset to starry skies—changing not only the backdrop but the atmosphere, the characters revealing more and more of themselves as the sun goes down.
We caught the production in Mount Royal Cemetery, where large trees, early-evening mist, and surrounding graves—as well as the unexpected quiet of this space in the heart of the city—all added to the spell. Every venue will deliver its own unique ambiance, a reminder that Shakespeare in the Park is not only about the play and its cast of characters, but also everything that makes our city special.
Pack your handbags and cucumber sandwiches and head down to catch a performance at a park near you.
Tickets: Free
Calendar: See here for locations and times (120 minutes + intermission)
On site: Chair rental, snacks/beverages available for purchase
