by AMY BARRATT

The curse lives on. This time it struck before the production of a certain Shakespearean tragedy even opened. Whip Theatre was planning to present Macbeth in October at the Théâtre Ste-Catherine. Last week, the word came down that while the company would still be presenting something Oct. 12–28, it definitely won’t feature the Thane of Cawdor or his blood-spattered wife.

Happily, no death or dismemberment is responsible for the cancellation. A lot of actors have to be paid if you’re going to bring Birnam Wood to Dunsinane, and Wendy Clubb, artistic director of Whip Theatre, realized it just wouldn’t be financially possible to do it right at this time. Instead of a trio of witches, the company will present an evening of short pieces by Jon Rannells, a Toronto actor, writer and director, directed by Clubb.

Singin’ Irish

Other independent companies are wasting no time getting the new season started. Tomorrow night (Sept. 15) hails the downtown premiere of Brigit’s Reel, from Panache Productions. This musical by and starring Trish Barclay and Marc Desormeaux is chock-full of traditional Irish and French Canadian songs. It’s at the Centaur to Sept. 24.

Sept. 15 is also the opening of a double bill by Sixth Avenue Players and Angry Badger Theatre. The former presents Brazen, a new play by Caitlin Murphy (The O Show, Ladies Room at the 2006 Fringe); the latter presents Coil! by Aaron George (author of Fringe favourites Cobra: The Musical and Star Wars Survivor). The showcase for up-and-coming talent will be at the MainLine Theatre Wednesdays through Sundays to Oct. 7. Tickets/info: 726-4635.

Tableau D’Hôte, the young company that produced Judith Thompson’s I Am Yours last spring, returns with Amigo’s Blue Guitar, by award-winning Canadian playwright Joan Macleod. The run is Sept. 20–24 only at Théâtre Calixa-Lavallée.

Angels and adultery

Fallen Angel Productions makes its debut just in time for Halloween with Monster, a version of the Frankenstein story by Neal Bell. Frances Balenzano directs a cast of seven at the Balustrade of the Monument National Oct. 25–Nov. 5.

Fallen Angels also happens to be the title of the first show in the season at the Segal Theatre (Saidye Bronfman Centre). When Noel Coward’s play premiered in 1925, it was considered quite shocking because the two women in it, Julia and Jane, freely admit (to each other, not to their husbands) to having premarital affairs. We’ll see if this high comedy stands the test of time under the direction of Diana Leblanc Oct. 22–Nov.12.

The Centaur season gets underway Oct. 5 with Carmela’s Table, the second instalment in Vittorio Rossi’s “Carpenter’s trilogy,” based on his own family history. The saga began with last season’s Hellfire Pass.

A week later, under the “Brave New Works” banner, Centaur welcomes Sabooge Theatre’s Every Day Above Ground, an adaptation of Michael Ondaatje’s The Collected Works of Billy the Kid. The production, which was first workshopped at the BRIC studio in Brooklyn last May, is directed by Sabooge regular Adrienne Kapstein.

Harvest gold

Black Theatre Workshop goes for the trifecta this fall with The Lady Smith by Andrew Moodie. BTW has previously produced Riot and A Common Man’s Guide to Loving Women, by the Toronto playwright. Directed by BTW artistic director Tyrone Benskin, it stars Amanda Strawn, Jessica B. Hill, Lucinda Davis and Craig Thomas.

Real Montrealers know that “festival season” is a misnomer. We have festivals all year long. Harvest, the Montreal GLBT International Theatre Festival gets underway Sept. 21, following ScripTease, a sneak peek/kick-off party at Cabaret Mado on Sept. 20. Most of this year’s shows, which come from as far away as Hawaii and Manchester, England, take place at Théâtre Ste-Catherine.

Village Scene Productions, which produces the fest, is also re-mounting its critically-acclaimed William and James, hoping it attracts bigger audiences than it did during Divers/Cité. That show is at the Hotel Taj-Mahal, which is Harvest festival central. Info: www.villagescene.com.

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