Shakespeare’s Will

Streamed November 19 – December 12 | 2021

A Shakespeare in the Ruins Digital Production

SHAKESPEARE’S WILL, by Vern Thiessen – a digital production
Based on the 2020 ShakespeareFest production by Rory Runnells

Meet Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare’s wife. Anne is mourning her husband, avoiding reading his will and, instead, she unpacks their whole relationship before our eyes – from the day they met to the day he died, revealing secrets and passions. This beautiful, cheeky and sensual play is a poetic meditation on love and loss by one of Canada’s most soulful playwrights.

This production makes imaginative use of a style of storytelling called ‘object theatre’, as multiple characters are ‘played’ by rocks and sticks as if they were lively puppets, all skillfully manipulated by Patterson; and a large sand box (from where the characters emerge) serves as the inventive design centre-piece. You have never seen theatre quite like this before; and you will never think of Shakespeare quite in the same away.

“(Vern) Thiessen takes the sketchy outline of Hathaway’s life out from under her husband’s formidable shadow and creates a gem of a play that’s part fact, part fiction, and pure theatre.” — Quill & Quire

Filmed on location at the PRAIRIE THEATRE EXCHANGE Mainstage in Treaty 1 – Winnipeg, Manitoba.

CLOSED CAPTIONS IN ENGLISH, FRENCH, SPANISH, PORTUGUESE, TAGALOG, HINDI AND MANDARIN.

AUDIO DESCRIPTIONS IN ENGLISH AND FRENCH.

TICKETS – Pay What You Choose: $1, $5 or $10 + Service charges

Have any questions about ordering tickets? Check our FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS page for further details.

Actor at a chest-height table, top covered in sand where she places sticks and stones to illustrate her story, illuminated in blue.

Actor at a chest-height table, top covered in sand, she lifts the sand in the air, letting it fall through her fingers, illuminated in purple.

Actor at a chest-height table, top covered in sand where she places sticks and stones to illustrate her story, illuminated in a warm orange.

Photos by Leif Norman

shakespeare's will banner with extended until dec 12

Cast

Anne Hathaway / Debbie Patterson

Artistic and Production Team

Written by / Vern Thiessen

Directed by / Eric Blais

Costume Design / Debbie Paterson & Eric Blais

Props Design / Eric Blais & Heather Lee Brereton

Scenic Design / Adam Parboosingh

Scenic Design Assistant / Joyce Licup

Sound Design / Ridge Romanishen & Chris Coyne

Light Design / Hugh Conacher

Production Manager / Hugh Conacher

Stage Manager / Ridge Romanishen

Props & Wardrobe Coordinator / Heather Lee Brereton

Scenic Carpenter / Khaeler Bautista

Production Photos / Leif Norman

Film Director / Sam Vint

Camera Operators / Tyler Funk, Rudy Gauer

Audio Mixer / Chris Coyne

Editor / Jonathan Lê

Audio Description provided by Vocal Image Ensemble Winnipeg

Translation and subtitling provided by PARENTY REITMEIER, INC.

Shakespeare’s Will Poster download

Download a Souvenir poster