By: Tony Davis
UPEI Theatre Studies coordinator Greg Doran (standing, left) works on a scene with Vagabond Productions players Guy Brun and Charlotte Robertson. Vagabond will present A Most Pleasant Comedy of Mucedorus March 12 to 16. (Submitted photo)
It isn’t often directors and theater groups dive into the age of the Renaissance without the world’s most famous playwright, Shakespeare.
This year, Vagabond Productions is presenting a comedy by no known author.
Vagabond is the Theatre Studies Program’s company created by UPEI’s chair of the faculty of arts, Greg Doran.
“It’s a play from the period of Shakespeare. It is an anonymous play, we don’t know who wrote it,†he said.
Vagabond has been performing various plays since it formed in 2005 as a way to differentiate from the Theater Society.
This years play, A Most Pleasant Comedy of Mucedorus may not have Shakespeare involved, but Doran said you can expect familiarity.
“If you read any comedy by Shakespeare or any of his contemporaries, a lot of the play will feel very familiar.â€
Doran compares the play to the 80s classic, The Princess Bride.
“At the heart of it there is a romance between two characters, so it’s very similar to Princess Bride in that regard. You’ve got the evil, stereotypical nobleman, again very similar to Princess Bride. We don’t have a giant, but we have a wildman.â€
Shakespeare populated his plays with similar characters and troupes, the young lovers are common in Shakespeare’s works, Doran said.
Vagabond shows are very interactive, with the actors performing scenes in the audience.
“The actors will be performing in and around the audience, there will be a little defined playing space because there are some scenes where we can’t have the audience too close. It’s very much the Vagabond style of production, it is very open.â€
If you would like to catch a family-friendly Renaissance-style show head over to the Faculty Lounge in the SDU Main Building at UPEI from March 12 to 16.
Doors open at 7:00 pm for a 7:30 pm start. Admission is pay-what-you-can, but space is limited. There are no pre-sale tickets available.