OTTAWA THEATRE REVIEW - A Midwinter's Dream Tale @ the Great Canadian Theatre Company

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Show info: http://gctc.ca http://fools.ca

A Midwinter's Dream Tale preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3f5iyiKr4I
More talk with the cast and director: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K23_ojRx8sQ

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For all you lovers of the written word, here's the review transcript:

A Midwinter's Dream Tale is a Company of Fools production for the Great Canadian Theatre Company that sees two clowns --Pommefrites and Restes- questing for ice cream in a gorgeous winter wonderland setting when they get caught up in a Shakespearean-styled drama in the Fairy Kingdom dealing with adultery, revenge, attempted infanticide, and monsters. I know it sounds dark but its fairies and clowns -- so it's actually hilarious.
Seriously. It's hilarious - and family friendly.

Take one dash comedy. One dash tragedy. Add clowns. And voila!

The cast, featuring Kelly Rigole as Titania, Adrian Proszowski as Oberon, and Jesse Buck as Puck is very talented and the two clowns, played by Scott Florence and Margo McDonald have been performing as a duo for ten years so have a chemistry and rapport that lets them really work off of each other. This means the acting, strategically-placed and occasionally inadvertent improv, and comedy equal top notch entertainment. If there's minor quibble to be had, the singing is pretty average, but it doesn't take anything away from the enjoyment of the play.

There's also the added bonus of some audience participation which is always fun because nothing is funnier than being able to make the joke or be the butt of the joke - happened several times for lucky audience members. Not to mention the crazy chaotic fun of a five person cast and eight person chorus running around not only on a fairly small stage but through the audience.

Those improv moments I mentioned, of which there were a handful, cleverly structured and crafted to continue the plot, let the audience know that the actors were having fun as well. And that's what's most important right? Fun. We want to be entertained. We want to have fun. And here, everybody's having fun. The more fun you have, the more fun the cast has, which continuously amps the energy level.

Who knew a quest for Ice Cream could lead to so much fun and adventure. Even if you're not a frequent theatre goer, do not miss this show.... Unless you're coulrophobic.

To see some more about A Midwinters Dream Tale, check out our preview to the show, featuring a sneak peak at a couple of scenes, plus interviews with Titania, Oberon, and Puck plus director AL Connors. And if that's not enough we also have a more in depth video where they talk about what it was like putting the show together, and the unique challenges of remounting the show which debuted at Winterlude 2009. Both are linked down below in the description.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• A Midwinter's Dream Tale
• Great Canadian Theatre Company
• Company of Fools
• Shakespeare
• A Midsummer's Night Dream
• A Winter's Tale
• Titania
• Oberon
• Puck
• Fairies
• Faeries
• magic
• snow
• clowns
• ice cream
• Pommefrites
• 'Restes
• ottawa
• theatre
• shouldyouseeit
• Kelly Rigole
• Adrian Proszowski
• Jesse Buck
• Scott Florence
• Margo McDonald
• improv
• comedy
• hilarious
• audience participation
• play
• fun
• Theater