Bard On The Beach

A true highlight of my exquisite trip to Vancouver BC. I attended the production of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Nights Dream. The cast was superb! Pre-​show there were booths where the play was discussed and explained, as well as behind-​the-​scenes secrets revealed. It made for a more all-​inclusive theatre experience. The tent setting is stunning, but fades in the shining light of the stage performances — not an easy accomplishment.

Going to Bard is part of my summer tradition and I wouldn’t miss it! I’ve never seen a bad production and I’ve seen everything from Hamlet to King Lear and from Richard II to A Midsummer’s Night Dream. The festival is almost completely run by volunteers, from the greeters to the ticket-​takers, to the people at the concession and the people who run the boutique. They are friendly and helpful and I’ve never had a negative experience with any of them. The concession serves Starbucks as well as local wines, beer and cider. The boutique has a lot of fun trinkets. Can’t wait until next year!

A friend suggested this when I was visiting Vancouver. Saw a good production of «King Lear.» Nice venue, well-​organized, and well-​acted. Would happily go again.

I’ve only been to Bard on the Beach a handful of times (the first time was A Midsummer Night’s Dream during Bard’s inaugural season), which is a shame, as it’s a great festival. The last time I went was in 2008 for King Lear.
Last night my sister and I saw The Comedy of Errors. It was a last minute decision to go (we were looking for something to do on a Saturday night), and even though it was a few hours before the show and tickets were limited, we managed to get some awesome seats: second row, aisle, right in front of the stage. A bit pricey at $ 55, but definitely worth it. We could have gotten seats for $ 26, but we’re glad we opted for the prime seats. (Note: when the sun is setting, the sun shines directly in the eyes of the people sitting in the cheap seats on the right hand side.)
Several years ago (I’m not sure when), Bard on the Beach started setting some of its plays in non traditional settings (ex. the 1920s). I was a little turned off by this, and that was one of the reasons I hadn’t seen any performances in years; I was only interested in performances with traditional Shakespearian costumes, and the plays I had interest in were modernized, and the plays I had no interest in/​had seen were the traditional settings.
The Comedy of Errors had a steam punk theme, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. But it was excellent. The costumes, props, and stage design were visually interesting (loved the super soaker painted gold and black, adorned with gears and cogs), and the play was hilarious. (The actors who played the minor characters, the maid and cook, seriously made me laugh out loud.) I am very glad I went, and I am definitely going to make Bard on the Beach a regular summer tradition.

Holy moly, good good show!
My husband and I went to watch «a Midsummer Night Dream». I was a little hesitant because it is Shakespeare, and I thought the language might be too difficult for us (we aren’t those smart classy people :-P).
However, all my worries were completely vanished. The team really made sure that we can follow the story by their acting and some… unpredictable songs. It was by far one of the best comedies I’ve seen in my life. The entire theater was in several laughing fits. It was so funny. Just thinking about it makes me laugh again and I look like a crazy person laughing randomly.
One thing I will say; the show we watched was not appropriate for kids. They asked at the beginning of the show if there are kids and there was only one kid, so perhaps they used a more risqué version? I’m not sure. For adults it was amazing. You should get a babysitter and go watch it.

I can never say too many amazing things about Bard on the Beach! I’ve always been a huge fan of Shakespeare, having grown up near his hometown, and Bard always exceeds my expectations!
This year I have been lucky enough to see The Tempest, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (which I’m going to see at least once more… ahem…) and everything from the ushers who greet you, to the costuming, to the set itself is just extraordinary. I don’t believe that Bard is capable of putting on a bad show, and I can’t wait for next season!

Absolutely splendid — Bard on the Beach gets better every year.
I was lucky enough to snag last minute tickets to «A Midsummer Night’s Dream» this past weekend and my experience from the box office to the show was nothing short of excellent. The box office was extremely helpful and eager connected my party and I right away with those who were returning their tickets.
Production-​wise, the show was very, very modern but honoured and respected Shakespeare’s story very well. From the Top 40 music choices, improv by the actors and breathtaking costumes, this was my favourite Bard experience yet.

The best part of my summer has consistently been my chance to see the production’s presented by Bard on the Beach. This year is no exception, in fact they have outdone themselves. My wife and I saw The Tempest tonight, and they knocked it out of the (Vanier) park.
Every bit of the production, from the string ensemble (Bass, Violins and Viola) to the reimagining of Trinculo and Stephano as lecherous and besotted women, contributed to a magical evening.
We cannot recommend this production more enthusiastically.

Bard on the Beach is definitely a staple Vancouver must-​do event for the summer. I’ve been going to performances at Bard on the Beach every summer for the past 9 years. The first show I watched, «As You Like It», was when I was 15, and instantly I fell in love with theater, with Shakespeare, and with acting. Seeing the ways it has changed and evolved throughout the years has been nothing short of amazing. The cool thing about Bard on the Beach now compared to then? It’s Shakespeare, but re-​imagined and modernized!
The first time I watched a modernized version of Shakespeare was two seasons ago at Bard. We watched «The Merry Wives of Windsor», and I have to say, I was *not* a fan. I hated the fact that it was set in the 1960s, I hated the fact that it was not authentic to the Bard I’d been used to and the Shakespeare I was used to, and I left there feeling unsatisfied and upset. However, the difference between that show and last night’s show was the play itself.
What I mean is this: «A Midsummer Night’s Dream» is such a fun and accessible play, that turning it into a Gothic, Witchy, Pixie, Fairytale is totally doable. Not just doable, but fantastic! The story is so ridiculous and full of magic and fairies and enchantment that the twist on a classic Shakespearean story was absolutely incredible. Not only that, but the acting was tremendous. Whether it was an actor’s first time at Bard or a longtime show-​runner, every single actor on stage at last night’s performance did an incredible job of capturing the audience and drawing them into the story. From the small, quirky added audience interactions like the Puck selfie, to the Fairies’ ridiculous songs and dance throughout, the audience was captivated from start to finish.
All in all, it was an awesome experience, and while I’m still getting used to this version of Shakespeare, in my opinion, it highly depends on the story and the director’s vision, and this time around it was greatly executed. Highly recommend checking out «A Midsummer Night’s Dream»!

I was very impressed with the quality of this production. Often theatre that is not in London or New York is poor, but this was worthy of both those cities. Do yourself a favour and go!

After seeing so many stellar reviews I wonder if my wife and I are the only people who were gravely disappointed with the MEASURE FOR MEASURE BARD-​B-​Q & FIREWORKS held on Saturday, July 27^th.
I had all but forgotten about it when, on Monday, August 26^th, we attended the OPERA & ARIAS which was phenomenal! Where else can one see Opera for $ 40?! But this review is not about that.
One would be hard pressed to find fault with the play itself! Even a Shakespearean scholar would have had to rise to his feet and cheer! This was worth every penny of the $ 40 (each) it cost to attend. It is the 30 minute dinner with which I take exception. For the privilege of lining up like a bunch of cattle and being told that we were allowed to pass only once we paid a total of $ 60 (each) extra.
The salmon diner was nothing special and little more than you might expect to receive at a picnic. Worth maybe $ 20 tops and even then I would have to complain about the vegetables.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, there was no water to drink. It is unconscionable to serve a meal to human beings and not provide water to drink. How much does it cost to add water to the menu. This was undoubtedly a ploy to force people to purchase refreshments from the concession stands. After charging $ 60 for dinner?! Are you kidding me?!
We felt like the homeless who were receiving their free Thanksgiving meal.
Disgusting!
We will never attend such an event again. You would do well to cease this insulting practice.
We could have seen the Fireworks for free at any number of places so this added nothing to our experience.
Sincerely, Felix and Faranak

LOVE. Love. LOVE.
Bard on the Beach could not be any more perfect. They seem to have the formula down PAT. Will be back every single year we can: D

After 2 years of living in Vancouver, I finally got a chance to see a show at Bard on the Beach. I opted to see Hamlet, since I’m one of those rare kids who never studied Hamlet in high school or university.
I pre-​purchased my tickets online, although from what I can tell you can buy them at the box office (but the selection will probably be pretty limited!). I really liked being able to select my seats online. I was also a huge fan of the under 25 discount: my ticket cost $ 25 instead of the normal $ 43. The tickets arrived in the mail about a week after I ordered them online.
Vanier Park is a great venue for this event. It’s really pretty in the evening along the water. We arrived at the venue an hour before the show, and were easily able to find parking at the Museum of Vancouver for $ 5. The Bard on the Beach website suggests a few other parking lots as well, but the Museum lot was really convenient.
There’s not a ton to do before the show once you get through the entry gate. They do have a gift shop that stocks a lot of Shakespeare books, t-​shirts, and other merchandise, but it’s pretty expensive. The artistic director also gives a talk before the play where he talks about the history of Hamlet, which was pretty neat but I didn’t stick around to listen to it.
The concession itself is alright. As you can expect it’s a bit pricey. I think it was around $ 8 for a glass of wine. The wine they have is from Sandhill Winery, which is pretty solid. I’ve had a lot worse! They also offer beer and cider. Just so you know, you CAN bring your drink into the theater. I didn’t realize that was the case until I got into the theater. As for food, they had a picnic lunch you could pre-​pay for, along with three different kids of popcorn and some other snacks.
As for the show, they performed a more modern version of Hamlet. The characters used iPhone’s and iPad’s, but it was done in a clever way. I really enjoyed the acting. The actor who plays Hamlet really embraced Hamlet’s over-​the-​top nature. There really wasn’t a weak link in the bunch, the cast was incredibly talented. I’m also a sucker for good costume design, and I really liked the costumes. I found the play was a bit long at 3 hours and 5 minutes (this includes a 30 minute intermission), but everyone did a fantastic job.
I had seats in section 6a, and they were fantastic. I would recommend bringing a jacket or scarf if you’re going to a later showing, since it did get a little chilly by the end of the play.
Overall, if you haven’t been to the Bard on the Beach festival yet, you should really go! It’s a fantastic festival in Vancouver. I fully intend to see another play next year.

I love Bard on the Beach and make it a point to go every year to satisfied the English nerd in me.
The venue has much improved since they started reserved seating rather than a first come first serve basis. You can now arrive at your leisure and enjoy the experience from a nice vantage point.
«In a Nutshell» is another great recent addition. About 15 minutes before each performance, Artistic Director Christopher Gaze gives you a brief summary of the play (so you’re not completely lost with the Shakespearean English) as well as offers some insight and questions you want to keep in mind during the performance.
The Bard Village is cute although I do find the gift store and concession are both overpriced. Take intermission as an opportunity to pee and stretch your legs instead if you don’t want to spend too much money.
Most of the plays are performed without microphones except for this year’s Hamlet. If you’re worried about not hearing — Hamlet is your best bet. Which is great too because the performances in this production are awesome. Otherwise, a smaller venue like the Studio Stage is better since it’s a more intimate seating so you can hear everything.
Oh and everything is performed in an open tent so you’ll want to bring a sweater or a blanket if you’re watching an evening performance.

My wife and I attended a preview performance of «Measure for Measure» the week of Canada Day. They did a 1900-​New Orleans setting, which I thought worked quite well for the material. Yes, they mixed together Americanisms from different time periods, but it wasn’t too distracting. The incorporation of music performed on stage really added to the performance. Even though I’m not much of a Shakespeare person, I thoroughly enjoyed the performance. This was on the smaller stage, and being so close to the action was definitely a plus.

One of the best Vancouver experiences I’ve had. I hated Shakespeare as a high school kid, but the Bard on the Beach troupe made Shakespeare fun and accessible. I watched the Twelfth Night. Hilarious! I was splitting my spleen. The troupe is incredibly talented, so many memorable performances.
MUST SEE!

The plays in the summer of 2012 were first rate, as is the setting. Lovely way to spend a summer evening down by English Bay.
Here’s a tip. While you’re having your pre-​play cocktail, you can order and pay for your intermission drink, so when you come out there’s now waiting in the queue, your drink (s) are poured and waiting for you!