CULTURE GECKO
Juliet: A Revenge Comedy is an Audacious, Comedic Time loop Shakespearean Mixtape
By Ezekiel McAdams
August 8 2024
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Juliet: A Revenge Comedy comes from Vancouver’s Monster Theatre and the final production of Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan’s 39th season. The production is a two week limited engagement and runs from August 6-18th 2024.
The production is co-written by Pippa Mackie and Ryan Gladstone. Gladstone also directs and c-stars. This production stars Lili Beaudoin (Juliet), Carly Pokoradi (Everyone Else) and Gladstone as Shakespeare.
The original production starred Pippa Mackie as Juliet with Pokaradi and Gladstone and premiered in 2019 at the Edmonton Fringe Festival.
This is an irreverent, evocative and relevant comedic tale that is reminiscent of 1993’s Groundhog Day.
Beaudoin encapsulates the childlike wonder and innocence of Juliet where her animated demeanor is charming, self reliant and magnetically infectious.
Pokoradi steals the performance as her expressive facial expressions, physicality and is a multifaceted chameleon easily shifting from Lady Macbeth, Cleopatra, Ophelia and Prospero’s daughter, Miranda and a multitude of others with ease, making each character distinct and recognizable with affectations and versatile cadence.
Gladstone is marvelous and stunning as this production’s version of Shakespeare oozing a cocky confidence that is as playful as it intimidating.
Mackie and Gladstone’s script is a mashup of genres using Shakespeare’s sandbox to create a witty, smart and unquestionably timely.
Gladstone’s direction is confidently precise allowing a playful energy illuminate the production as it allows the script and performances to create wonderful nuance and juxtaposition.
Nita Bowerman is the production’s costume designer creates a hybrid of Shakespearean attire that feels both fresh and unique.
The creative team includes Ryan Jureka doing the original score, Jon Paterson is the lighting designer. When this article was published, Paterson is performing at the 2024 Saskatoon Fringe Festival as one half of the duo of Rob Gee/RibbitRePublic’s production of AWOL.
Sydney Hayduk is the production’s stage manager.
This is a fun, comedic wild ride of a road trip that celebrates Shakespeare’s famous female characters while also critiquing the subject matter that is playfully relevant with a wonderful message wrapped inside.
Juliet: A Revenge Comedy is a limited engagement running at Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan from August 6th-18th 2024. Tickets can be bought online here or at the box office.