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OFFENSIVE SHADOWS by Paul Dunn
September – October 2008
Tarragon Theatre Extra Space
August 2007
SummerWorks Festival
Tarragon Theatre Extra Space
Winner of the SummerWorks 2007 NOW Magazine Audience Choice Award
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WORLD PREMIERE
A critical and popular smash at the 2007 SummerWorks Festival (where it won the NOW Magazine Audience Choice Award), Paul Dunn’s sexy and darkly comic contemporary sequel to A Midsummer Night’s Dream explores what happens when Demetrius, Helena, Hermia and Lysander finally wake up.
Artfully blending the romantic heart of Shakespeare’s classic with a modern sensibility, Dunn (High-Gravel-Blind for the Stratford Festival and BOYS for Theatre Direct Canada) uses an edgy mix of humour and pathos to explore an uncertain future, where magic can’t always save the day.
Featuring a critically acclaimed cast, and expertly directed by Michael Shamata, Offensive Shadows delighted Shakespeare novices and aficionados alike. NOW Magazine’s SummerWorks 2007 wrap-up listed Offensive Shadows among the Outstanding New Plays, Productions and Ensembles of the festival. In response to Studio 180’s remount production, with a new companion piece, the National Post listed it among the best new Canadian plays of 2008.
2008
DIRECTED BY Michael Shamata
FEATURING Jessica Greenberg, Andrew Kushnir, Mark McGrinder, Jason Mitchell & Kimwun Perehinec
SET & COSTUME DESIGN John Ferguson
LIGHTING DESIGN Michael Walton
SOUND DESIGN Michael Laird
FIGHT DIRECTION Joel Harris
STAGE MANAGER Michael Haltrecht
APPRENTICE STAGE MANAGER Gillian Lewis
WARDROBE COORDINATOR Kathleen Johnston
EDUCATION/OUTREACH COORDINATOR Kesta Graham
PRODUCTION MANAGER Nathaniel Kennedy
2007
DIRECTED BY Michael Shamata
FEATURING Jessica Greenberg, Mark McGrinder, Jason Mitchell & Kimwun Perehinec
STAGE MANAGER Michael Haltrecht
LIGHTING DESIGN Michael Walton
FIGHT DIRECTION Joel Harris
OFFENSIVE SHADOWS by Paul Dunn
“Performance and direction are pitch-perfect.”
NATIONAL POST
“The cast is terrific, turning from comedy to heartbreak in a convincing moment.”
CBC RADIO
“Highly recommended… a clever, imaginative romp that is augmented by a particularly likeable and capable cast.”
TORONTO STAR
“The show’s a winner, both in its writing and its performance.”
NNNN NOW MAGAZINE
“Paul Dunn’s witty script is engaging and emotionally satisfying.”
TORONTOIST.COM
“Paul Dunn’s bleak, wildly funny little comedy sports an articulate understanding of the original Shakespearean characters as he transplants them into a contemporary milieu ripe with camping gear, bonfires and bikinis… Beautifully played with comic finesse and great physical agility…. Michael Shamata’s direction is fast-paced and physically thrilling.”
XTRA MAGAZINE
“A delightful romp in two acts, under the direction of Michael Shamata, who quite wisely keeps things simple… focusing his and our attention on the expert performers at the heart of his tale.”
TORONTO SUN
2008 end-of-year reviews
The National Post listed Offensive Shadows among the best new Canadian plays of 2008.
