A Company of Fools takes on tragedy

If a squirrel falls from a tree in the middle of a dramatic scene from Shakespeare’s beloved tragedy Romeo & Juliet, does the audience lose focus?

Well, it’s possible. But when the performers are part of the skilled and experienced A Company of Fools troupe, outdoor distractions like furry rodents, pesky mosquitoes and chatter from passersby are usually no more than a brief interruption.

“It’s always an interesting challenge finding ways to keep the attention of an audience for 90 minutes outdoors, especially when you’re in competition with squirrels or children playing with our citronella lamps,” explains long-time Fools performer, and first-time director Al Connors.

“I think this is a very talented group though who manages to keep the energy up and the action moving, so the audience stays with us.”

A Company of Fools has been putting on lively outdoor shows each summer as part of its Torchlight Shakespeare series since 2002, but this is the first time the company has done a tragedy. It’s also the first time Connors has taken the reins as director.

So why break away from the usual comic fare and why did Connors want to direct?

“Romeo and Juliet is such a big, wonderful play and we had thought about doing it for some time, plus we were running out of comedies to do,” Connors says with a laugh.

And the directing, he says, came about kind of “backwards” after he began thinking of how he would re-invent the play to fit the Fools’ format, and make it work for no more than five performers.
Included as part of Connors’ vision is Romeo and Juliet each coming from single-parent homes, and one “storyteller” figure that acts as nurse, friar, prince and servant all in one.

Connors says he thinks Romeo and Juliet is the perfect kind of tragedy for the Fools, since it has many comedic elements and the excitement of sword fights, parties and playful love scenes.

“I think the way tragedy has to work is that you need to get the audience to fall in love with the characters, and what better way to do that than to have them be endearing and funny,” says Connors.

Even the squirrels can’t spoil a heart-wrenching love story.

The Torchlight Series production of Romeo and Juliet runs through July and August and is at Central Park in the Glebe tonight and Saturday at 7 p.m.  Admission is pass-the-hat with a suggested donation of $10. For future dates, see the fools.ca.