Bard On the Beach Shakespeare Festival

Bard on the Beach is Best in the (North)West.
I’ve always been a huge fan of the arts thanks to my parents influence and the idea of being able to see Shakespeare in such an amazing location totally appealed to me. We went to see MacBeth; while the group I was with was disappointed that they played it straight from the page, I was ok with that as I had seen the play before and was familiar with the language.
I’ve heard that they typically try to update the show (s) to a more current setting. I would have love to seen one of the comedies that played this season as I’ve never seen a Shakespearian comedy on stage. Oh well. I would definitely buy season passes if I lived in the area or even just south of the US border.
For those that complain about the (sometimes soggy) grounds, I really can’t relate. I mean, really, the venue has ‘on the beach’ in the title. You know you’re going to be in a tent. You know you’re going to be on the water. What do you really expect? Yes, I understand and fully appreciate the idea of paying the proper respect by dressing nicely, but I don’t think the director (s) expect people to show up in four inch heels.

I love Shakespeare. The things this place does right are really the most important, thus my 4 stars: 1. They unfailingly find very high-​quality actors to play at very least the lead role, and sometimes deeper into the cast, in every play I’ve seen here (1 – 2 per year over the past 3 years). Bottom line: Outside of the Oregon (Ashland) and Chicago Shakespeare festivals, this ranks at #3 for me, and that means they are doing a GREAT job with casting the lead roles. 2. Great location, especially on fireworks night, where you are treated to one of the best places in Vancouver to enjoy lovely fireworks after your show. Unfortunately, I must report the following as well: 1. DO NOT EAT HERE. I’ve been to the fireworks event 2 years in a row and their caterer is, well, lets just say the menu looks better than the food tastes, which is bland for what you are paying for it ($ 100 each ticket for show and your meal, coffee included, cash bar). I mentioned this to the artistic director and he simply said that nobody else had ever said that to him — so maybe it’s just me and the few people I’ve brought along with me each time who think this? Ah, well, at least there are a lot of restaurants within 10 minutes drive for you to enjoy your meal for that price either before or after your show — an itinerary I highly recommend! 2. Do not wear high heels or nice shoes, ladies, lest you ruin them in the grass that must unfortunately be walked on to get into the venue. Especially if it’s raining, its just a mess. 3. Another reviewer is right about the box office not being very knowledgeable about their own systems — every year there is some sort of problem that does get sorted out eventually, but it will add to your time getting in. 4. Other problems with taking money for your wine or (if you dare) snack purchase. Twice I’ve been asked to follow the cashier to another snack bar so that they could ring my card because their credit card machines apparantly go down with frequency. 5. The snacks are made by the same caterer as the fireworks night — oddly, even a rice crispie treat is made with somehow less marshmallow than usual so it’s a little… bland. Still fresh, just not as sweet or tasty as one you’d make at home. 6. Buy any gifts during intermission as they have not yet figured out that they should remain open as guests are leaving the theatre. 7. Sound/​some dialogue can be missed, depending where you are seated and in which theatre your show is going on – I actually prefer the smaller theatre to the mainstage due to this problem.
So, the bottom line is – if you like Shakespeare at all — GO HERE. Eat elsewhere. Get your tickets mailed to you instead of having them on hold at will call. And don’t bother dressing up – very, very few of the other patrons bother to do so, so you would be out of place in your normal theatre attire, and your shoes are in danger of ruin if it’s a rainy night.
The Bard on the Beach is in sore need of an operations manager/​theatre manager who knows how to take the facility, the vending and services and just the overall theatre experience «up a notch.» Some small investments with the focused goal of bringing up the level of the «experience» for the patrons would go a long way (about 1 meter of boardwalk between the entrance and the pavement would save a lot of ladies shoes, guys!). Of course, then the prices will reflect that (normal performances are a very reasonable $ 36 per seat) so I’ll keep coming and hoping that the level of these things moves up, instead of back, and then I for one won’t mind the price going up a few notches.

I want to give this more stars but I can’t because of the venue. It can be hit or miss. I’ve been on rainy nights, windy nights, and cold nights. Some nights the grounds get really soggy and it’s pretty disgusting to walk though. However, if the evening is nice and warm, it is a treat.
I do like the shows that they put on and I do like Shakespeare. However, I only take in the comedic and lighter productions. I’m not into the tragedies or the more serious plays. I will fall asleep and I snore loudly as is.

I took some family and a friend to As You Like It, and, as usual it was well done. However, we were in row 4N, 31 — 35 and found it very difficult to follow the words — speeches seemed to get lost in the air. I had a nine-​year-​old with us who did enjoy it, but I know he missed a lot of the plot. I did also, although I could understand a little better because I was more familiar with the play. I have been going to Bard on the Beach for years, have always enjoyed it thoroughly, and have always recommended it to others, but I’m a little hesitant to do that now. Has anyone else encountered this problem?
PS the book and gift store is a must!

Only go if you don’t mind the incompetence of the
a) head ticket agent (not the others)
b) director (yes, I talked to him personally.) Totally clueless about his own seating arrangement.
c) some ushers who are on power trips and have no sense of seating. (not all of them).
The plays are fine if you can’t get to NY, and obviously have a beautiful backdrop but some of the actual «volunteers» lack the professionalism of both the Arts Club and Playhouse. I have been going for at least seven years now.
While the performances are about a 3 – 4 (if you are honest with yourself about how much you enjoy Shakespeare), the staff gets worse every year. They leave the theatre with empty seats whilst people patiently wait to purchase tickets, and then interrupt the play to seat «latecomers». They turned my friend away with less than 5 minutes before the beginning and they had 24 empty seats left – I counted! :(
Any proper theatre company would not seat extreme latecomers (in the wrong seats!) until intermission, since this disrupts the play.
If you are not in a group, you might not know this, so go at your own risk. But be forewarned.
Note-​I enjoy Shakespeare well enough; I’ve studied most of his plays, as many of us have. It’s a few of the people that ruin this entire event and make me like it less and less every year. Also, just a helpful hint: bring a copy of the play if you can, or you will most certainly be lost! The gift shop is really great here, nonetheless.

The highlight of my summer every year!
Some tips…
— Bring a picnic to eat while you wait in line. Or stop for sushi or burrito bros before you go. Quick & yummy!
— Make sure you have a blanket or a pashmina… it gets chilly after the intermission.
— Don’t bring young kids. They’ll be bored.
— First Timer? See a comedy.
— Feeling lost? Be sure to grab a program. You can follow the story line in the program.
— Get the Bard Mix popcorn! Cheddar & caramel mixed together… so good. I can’t help myself & have to get it every time.
I can’t wait for next summer!

Venue: 5 stars
Price: 4 stars
Show: (anthony and cleopatra) 2 stars…
BORED on the beach actually.

We went to see Antony and Cleopatra on Friday night, and absolutely loved the show, the atmosphere and the laid back attitude!
It is truly a mark of humankind’s appreciation for great art that a bunch of 400 year old plays can still draw large crowds and cause excitement, and I felt thrilled to be a part of it. Vanier Park is one of my favourite places in the world, and the tents set up with just a slice of the mountain view peeking through is one of the best locations I can imagine to stage the Bard’s work.
Every detail, from the casting to the costumes, the music to the stage direction, was innovative and breathed new life into this infamous tale of two headstrong lovers. I absolutely loved the lead actors — they played their title characters with humour and passion.
Another bonus? You can bring in your own snacks and (in our case, Pinot Noir) and eat them on the grass before the show and during intermission.
***One Last Note: The line up procedure is a bit strange. Bext to get there an hour early, as they open the gate 40 minutes before the show. You are given a little sign with your name on it, and when you head in you affix the sign to your chosen seat and then you are free to walk around. The earlier you arrive in line, the better the seat.

Bard on the Beach is one of my summer highlights — I always look forward to the new schedule and attend at least one play every year. And I am never disappointed. The event is top quality and every penny is worth it. Actors from all over Canada audition for the plays and the directors are simply amazing.
I have seen Hamlet, Romeo&Juliet, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, and The Comedy of Errors. I loved every one of them and had a tremendous amount of fun. The setting obvsiouly helps a lot, since it is so unique. I recommend going to a night show in the big tent (Mainstage) — it is truly a spectacular experience. As the performance is going, you can see the Vancouver skyline in the background, while the sun is setting. Really, even if you are not familiar with Shakespeare, you will love this.
It might be a good idea, if you are new to Shakespeare, to attend a comedy. The actors have so much fun with all the jokes, and they bring the audience into that playful, bawdy and witty Shakespearean atmosphere. They truly take Shakespeare’s comedies to another lever, and trust me, you will be laughing your eyes out the entire time.
My favorite ‘regular’ actor at the festival is Bob Frazer. I’ve seen him in a lot of these plays, most notably in Hamlet. For Battlestar Galactica fans, one of the show’s actors is going to be performing in two plays at the Bard this year. His name is Alessandro Juliani, and he played Lt. Gaeta. That should be fun to see:)
By the way, also check out their ‘gift shop’ store, it has a lot of fun trinkets on Shakespeare. Some are overpriced, but it’s quite fun to browse around.
Arrive early, as there is always a line-​up to get in. Plus, it is fun to walk around the tent areas before the show starts.

If you like watching Shakespearean plays, then you should for sure check this place out! It’s awesome! You can even bring people who aren’t into it because the plays are done so creatively that people who don’t like /​understand Shakespeare can still appreciate it.
The play is in a tent with a really well developed set. The plays are presented in a more modern way so that it is more rateable. After the play, the cast members come out and discuss the play in case you had any questions.

Shakespeare in a tent? Now this is a unique event. The beautiful backdrop of the mountains and English Bay; this is really making the most of Vancouver. I was first introduced to this by our English teacher back in high school. The Tempest. We were studying this in school, so it was the perfect oppurtunity to watch this live.
This takes place every summer in Vanier Park, showing 3 or 4 plays every year.
Taking place in one huge tent, it’s general seating, so arrive early when going to weekend shows as seats fill up quickly. This is stadium style seating, with graduated rows. The stage is open, revealing one of Vancouver’s best views. It’s often cool in the tent, so bring a light jacket with you.
There’s wine and coffee for refreshments, as well as light snacks such as cookies and popcorn.
The calibre of actors and direction is very well done. They bring life to the famous Shakespearean plays, sometimes making it more comical. Music accompanies the play, and costume are always elaborate and detailed.
Matinée shows are usually cheaper, but get tickets in advance, just in case.
It’s become an annual summer event for me. My favourite so far, is Macbeth.
This is where culture and nature meet, the perfect fusion!

I loved going to this festival.
We went on our first night in Vancouver. As a singer, I always feel like I should see more straight theater and I am SO glad that we were able to attend. We saw Richard II and loved every minute of it.
The ushers were so friendly! Ours struck up conversation with us immediately and was incredibly sweet. Also, I’m glad it was theater in the round too so that there weren’t any «bad» seats. We didn’t know about waiting in line to get into the festival but still managed to have great seats.
The caliber of the actors and their performances was incredibly high. Every single member of the cast was phenomenal and I enjoyed being transported completely. I was SOO impressed with every actor and was sad to not be able to see other shows during the festival. I hope to see more from this fantastic festival at some point. I highly recommend it to anyone with even the slightest interest in the performing arts.

Shakespear, beach, summer sun, BC wines… does life actually get any better than this?
This annual festival held in Vanier park is awesome for a weekend matinée or a night of entertainment. Holding three plays per year, the productions are phenomenial… you do not have a be a Bard Buff, so if you are the type that never really enjoyed reading Shakespear you will still be delighted by watching the plays performed. In fact, when you go you will see young children to elder adults enjoying the play. The actors are phenomenal, and this is a statement as Shakespearian acting is not an easy feat.
Of special note is the Bard during the fireworks, as well as for the wine tasting nights, both of which are completely worth checking out (make sure and buy early they sell out really fast!).
This year I am excited to see Othello and the Comedy of Errors!

Bard on the Beach is Vancouver’s version of Shakespeare in the park, with the obvious twist that it is set up in Vanier park, near the beach. Each year, from May to September, this company puts on no fewer than four Shakespeare productions, often making the effort to put a more modern spin on the Bard’s own work. This is definitely one of Vancouver’s more labour intensive and impressive cultural offerings, and it is definitely worth checking out at least one of the shows. Bard on the Beach also teams up with other artists and companies to offer a fuller range of programming, so you might, for example catch some choral music along with your tragedy… or comedy.

The dome-​like red and white tents in Vanier Park near the Burrard Street bridge are a staple of Vancouver summer.
Bard on the Beach makes a valiant effort to modernize its shows and provide a unique context for the Shakespearean texts. 2008’s Titus Andronicus was a fantastic, if not fearsome, example of this.
The non-​profit is coming up on its 20^th season and puts up about four shows each summer. For first-​timers, check out the main stage with its views of the water and mountains behind the actors. An occasional jet ski does provide an odd soundscape to The Taming of the Shrew or the like, but the shows are otherwise fantastic.