Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Emerging company The Theatre Elusive is continuing to make its mark on the Toronto scene with its upcoming daring production of Shakespeare’s classic Antony and Cleopatra, running at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre's Cabaret space, Sept 26-Oct 6.
As part of Elusive’s mandate to address the current state of gender, identity, sexuality and equality issues through theatre, director Rosanna Saracino says she wants the play to address the profound social inequality of the sexes.
“Women are still vilified and have their power reduced to their sexual value, their appearance,” she says. “In a world where the battle for women’s reproductive rights and stories about rape still flood our newscasts, where women are still underrepresented in significant leadership roles politically and artistically, and where young women believe that sexualizing themselves in the most patriarchal and debased of ways equals power, we believe that Antony and Cleopatra still has a lot to say.
“Our goal is to point out how one of the most powerful women in history is depicted as a whore and a witch, and never receives the acclaim and respect of her male counterparts,” Saracino says. “Her sense of mastery in military affairs, political prowess, and social importance are reduced to her role as Antony's lover - and as a result, she is torn apart as being responsible for tearing away his reason, his capacity to lead.”
Theatre Elusive producer Gillian English (most recently seen on stage in Matt & Ben) plays the titular pharaoh and is joined by up-and-coming actor William MacGregor as her Roman lover. They head up a cast of young actors emerging into the theatre scene, including Spencer Robson as Octavius, last seen in 4th Line Theatre’s St. Francis of Millbrook (by Sky Gilbert), and Danny Pagett as Enobarbus, last seen in the 2012 Fringe Festival hit Help Yourself (Best in Fest selection).
This is Theatre Elusive’s third production after last season’s successful runs of Mindy Kaling’s Matt & Ben at the Bathurst St Theatre and Mikaela Dyke’s Dying Hard at the Tarragon.
WHO: THE THEATRE ELUSIVE – Producer: Gillian English
Director: Rosanna Saracino
Starring: Gillian English (Cleopatra), William MacGregor (Antony), Spencer Robson (Octavius), Katie Ribout (Octavia), Eric Lehman (Lepidus), Jason Thompson (Soothsayer), Danny Pagett (Enobarbus), and Kyle Purcell, Ryan Kotack,
Danie Friesen and Jessica Salguiero (Ensemble)
Lighting: Gavin MacDonald
Costume Design: Rosanna Saracino, Katrina Carrier, Kaitlyn Farley
Stage Manger: David Liotta
WHERE: Tallulah’s Cabaret at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
(12 Alexander St)
WHEN: Sept 26-Oct 6, 8pm Tues-Sat, 2:30pm Sat and Sun
TICKETS: $25/$20 (students and arts workers); Fri PWYC.
Available at buddiesinbadtimes.com and by phone at 416-975-8555
Photo: William McGregor and Gillian English. ©2012 Dahlia Katz.
2012-09-04
Toronto: Theatre Elusive presents “Antony and Cleopatra” at Buddies in Bad Times September 26-October 6