JULIET: A REVENGE COMEDY by Pippa Mackie and Ryan Gladstone (Monster Theatre/Toronto Fringe Festival). At Ada Slaight Hall (585 Dundas East). July 10 at 8:30 pm, July 11 at 2:30 pm, July 13 at 8 pm, July 14 at 3:15 pm. See listing. Rating: NNNN
Instead of plunging that “happy dagger” into her breast at the tragic end of Romeo And Juliet, Shakespeare’s Juliet (Lili Beaudoin) decides to move on with her life, and in so doing meets some of the Bard’s other heroines, opening their eyes to different fates, too. Meanwhile, her creator tries to lure her and the other characters back to their original plots.
That’s the clever postmodern premise behind Monster Theatre’s Juliet: A Revenge Comedy, which bears a slight resemblance to the current hit musical & Juliet in the same way the company’s 2019 Fringe show, Til Death, bore a resemblance to the musical Six.
Writers Pippa Mackie and Ryan Gladstone have constructed an amusing, whimsical story that could kick into a higher gear earlier on. They’ve underestimated how quickly audiences can catch onto something that’s hinted at in the show’s tagline.
But once the show finds its footing, it becomes a delightful tale that’s equal parts feminist critique, Renaissance romp and bravura acting display. The fierce, nimble Beaudoin makes a terrific young protagonist, while Carly Pokoradi creates at least four distinct characters with comic efficiency (her droll Lady Macbeth is a highlight). Bruce Horak’s Shakespeare, meanwhile, flits in and out of the tale like a literary Looney Tunes character. And Gladstone’s firm direction helps clarify and enhance the story’s many bold moves.
Not to be missed.
