Stages cheap and free

Festivals, Shakespeare and
out-of-town shenanigans

BRINGING THE CHUTZPAH:
The State Jewish Theatre of Bucharest

by NEIL BOYCE

It’s a low-key summer for theatre as we all hunker down and try to hold onto our jobs and money in this rotten economy—but as San Pedro punks the Minutemen used to sing, “Dreams are free, motherfucker!” In that spirit, some free (or not-too-expensive) recommendations for the summer ahead:

The biggest, cheapest, booziest deal in town is of course the St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival, held this year from June 11–21. A few genuinely great acts will emerge from the familiar themes we see each year: 20s-something angst about coming out, super-earnest and ethereal dance numbers and solo pieces with gals wearing viking helmets or whatever. montrealfringe.ca.

The Infringement Festival returns from June 18–28, its fifth year in Montreal, ready to “oppose the corporate takeover of culture and create a space for local and out of town critical artists to meet, collaborate and, above all, play.” infringementfestival.com.

Mike Czuba’s new play I AM I runs July 8–24 at McGill’s Players’ Theatre (3480 McTavish). Larry Lamont directs the dark comedy: “Language is a weapon and words are the bullets. On a bare stage with only three chairs, I AM I exposes the inner workings of a dark heart and an over-worked mind, with live music, rockin’ it ‘old school.’”

From July 23–Aug. 16, Repercussion Theatre presents As You Like It for their Shakespeare-in-the-park tour at various green spaces throughout the island. Paul Hopkins directs the much-loved comedy with a twist, as the theatre forms an intriguing collaboration with dance company Zogma and classical guitarist Mike Hopkins. The English Arden Forest of the original work is transplanted to old Quebec, with its traditional setting of Irish folk music and Québécois step dancing. Instead of staging parallel bilingual performances, Hopkins blends the text with both languages in a single, integrated show. repercussiontheatre.com

OUT OF TOWNERS

Hudson Village Theatre is pretty much the last man standing for English rural theatre in Quebec. An ambitious summer schedule shows they’re thriving against all odds—good on ’em. Norm Foster’s Old Love opens their season, featuring Andrew Johnston and great Montreal actor-director Diana Fajrajsl in a story of rekindled romance (June 18–July 5). Wingfield Unbound follows from July 8–12; a solo work with Rod Beattie about the old township of Persephone and the rumours surrounding Hollyhock Mill, which locals say is haunted.

Continuing the busy season is Quartet (July 16–Aug. 2), from multi-Oscar nominated writer Ronald Harwood, set in a home for retired opera singers who put on a concert each year celebrating Verdi’s birthday. For the season closer, Diana Fajrajsl returns as director in Having Hope at Home (Aug. 6–23), a multi-generational comedy about a woman determined to bring her family back together before the birth of her first child.

Out in Knowlton, Theatre Lac Brome has Richard Alfieri’s comedy Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks: about the friendship between the widow of a Southern Baptist minister and “a younger man.” (July 3–Aug.21 theatrelacbrome.ca)

From June 17–25 the Montreal International Yiddish Theatre Festival brings together the major Yiddish theatres of the world. Artists and scholars from Israel, Poland, Romania, Australia, Austria, France, the U.S. and Canada will take part in (subtitled) theatre performances, concerts and workshops to mark the 50th anniversary of the Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre, segalcentre.org.