the Festival Site

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playwright’s Notes

Questions open doors. When we question, we’re asking to get closer to the truth. We are often fed (by our governments, our media, and our cultures) one truth, one history, one storyline about who we are, where we come from, what we should

enjoy, and who we should respect. What I am learning, and what I am pushing myself to continue to learn, is that there is no ‘one’ truth, ‘one’ story, or ‘one’ version. There are as many truths as there are individuals, and in order to come to a deep understanding of an issue, many, many perspectives must be taken into account, especially and vitally those perspectives that have been pushed to the side to make room for the ‘one’ truth. So, the question that opens the door of this piece is ‘Why do Shakespeare’? And to answer that question, you’ll hear in this film from a number of contemporary characters with differing opinions, differing backgrounds, and differing held truths about the Bard. I wanted to approach this piece from a prismatic angle - presenting to you as many viewpoints on Shakespeare as I could, to then have you form your own opinions and your own truth about him and his works. This is a time for asking questions. For lifting up and peering under the cultural boulders of our society. A time to ask ourselves why we like the things we like, and a time to look at Canada and where we came from with an informed eye and an open mind. There is freedom, power, and love to be found in curiosity. I invite you to be curious with me, and I hope you enjoy the show.

Kate Besworth, Done/Undone Playwright

Photo by Jonathan Ryder

Costume design by Jessica Oostergo

ABOUT KATE BESWORTH

(SHE/HER)

Kate is a theatre performer and playwright currently working on the unceded and stolen lands of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Swwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. This is Kate's fourth year working with Bard on the Beach. Kate is in love with Charlie Gallant.

All the world’s a stage — welcome back to it.

Photo: Erik Gow (2019)

BMO is pleased to help young people in our communities explore the world of Shakespeare through the Bard in the Classroom workshop program.

Costume design by xxxx

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Proud to support Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival director's Notes

Questions are the foundation of my artistic practice. They draw me into stories. They spark emotions, fascinations, an urge to delve deeper into a subject. When directing, I ask myself: Why is this piece necessary? Why now? And at this current moment in our Western-“Canadian” society, I believe we are in need of engaging in discourse, and opening the floor to diverse voices. There is an urge to push past the difficult conversations, to move towards a right and wrong way of being. The pandemic has heightened this, forcing us to sit in isolation, sitting on yes or no answers. I hope that as the world opens up again, we find the importance of community, and fill these communities with art, storytelling, and connecting with one another.

“We can be critical and still love something” is a line that has stayed with me since first engaging with Kate’s play. In directing Done/Undone, it is my intention to move the conversation from “Why or why not do we continue to produce Shakespeare?” to “how do we continue to produce Shakespeare, and what needs to change?” Artists all over the world have engaged with the Bard’s work with varying degrees of preciousness, these ideas aren’t new, but we must take hold of these questions and bring them to our own communities. Of course, this piece wasn’t always intended to be a feature film. It was intended to be performed on the stage, under the Bard tents in Sen̓ákw. The entire production team took charge and met this challenge with full enthusiasm and bravery. Kate rewrote an adaption of her own play for the screen. Our Production Director, Jonathan Ryder led the charge with every challenge that presented itself. We brought on an incredible cinematographer, Belen Garcia, and 1st AD, Annette Reilly. Each and every single person in this program has put their whole heart into our film. I am so honoured to have directed this show with such amazing collaborators. Thank you so much for watching. I hope you meet us with discovery throughout this show.

Arthi Chandra, Done/Undone Director

Photo by Jonathan Ryder Photo by Belen Garcia

Costume design by Jessica Oostergo

ABOUT ARTHI CHANDRA

Arthi Chandra is a Vancouver based director, writer, and actor. Her practice is rooted in devising text-based new works, and adaptations of contemporary and classical plays. Her work examines ways in which identities of race, gender, class, and queerness intersect with one another, and how people and ideas are shaped by systems and institutions. She is a graduate of the theatre performance stream from Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts.