This is primarily a comedic parody of the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario. It's set in the early 2000s in a fictional town of New Burbage, Ontario and over three seasons follows the efforts to mount Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear.
There are four or five primary characters. First is Geoffrey Tennant (Paul Gross), the Artistic Director of the New Burbage Festival for most of the three years. Second is Oliver Welles (Stephen Ouimette), Tennant's predecessor as Artistic Director, who is killed in an accident early in the first season, but returns as a ghost that only Tennant can see. Third is Ellen Fanshaw (Martha Burns), one of New Burbage's lead actors and on-and-off lover of Geoffrey Tennant. Fourth is Richard Smith-Jones (Mark McKinney), the shallow Executive Director of the Festival. Fifth is Anna Conroy (Susan Coyne), the Associate Executive Director and only level head in the organization. There are also some other continuing roles.
Each season also brings in special guests with significant roles in that season. These include Luke Kirby, Rachel McAdams, Geraint Wyn Davies, Colm Feore, Sarah Polley, and William Hutt.
Most of the characters are unstable personalities, leading to many absurd crises and final resolutions. There are ongoing conflicts between the classical theater troupe and the musical troupe whose members barely know who Shakespeare is. Many references and images harken to a Stratford-like place.
The interaction between Geoffrey Tennant and the ghost of Oliver Welles is well done and in itself has echoes of William Shakespeare.
The most remarkable performance is in year 3 by William Hutt, who was 85 or 86 years old when he played the role of Charles Kingman, an elderly classical actor who is dying of cancer but wants to play King Lear one more time. Hutt died of leukemia in 2007, one year after year 3 was issued.
Although it's mostly a comedy, there are dark aspects, especially in year 3. Overall it is great fun; I wish it could have had more seasons.
There are four or five primary characters. First is Geoffrey Tennant (Paul Gross), the Artistic Director of the New Burbage Festival for most of the three years. Second is Oliver Welles (Stephen Ouimette), Tennant's predecessor as Artistic Director, who is killed in an accident early in the first season, but returns as a ghost that only Tennant can see. Third is Ellen Fanshaw (Martha Burns), one of New Burbage's lead actors and on-and-off lover of Geoffrey Tennant. Fourth is Richard Smith-Jones (Mark McKinney), the shallow Executive Director of the Festival. Fifth is Anna Conroy (Susan Coyne), the Associate Executive Director and only level head in the organization. There are also some other continuing roles.
Each season also brings in special guests with significant roles in that season. These include Luke Kirby, Rachel McAdams, Geraint Wyn Davies, Colm Feore, Sarah Polley, and William Hutt.
Most of the characters are unstable personalities, leading to many absurd crises and final resolutions. There are ongoing conflicts between the classical theater troupe and the musical troupe whose members barely know who Shakespeare is. Many references and images harken to a Stratford-like place.
The interaction between Geoffrey Tennant and the ghost of Oliver Welles is well done and in itself has echoes of William Shakespeare.
The most remarkable performance is in year 3 by William Hutt, who was 85 or 86 years old when he played the role of Charles Kingman, an elderly classical actor who is dying of cancer but wants to play King Lear one more time. Hutt died of leukemia in 2007, one year after year 3 was issued.
Although it's mostly a comedy, there are dark aspects, especially in year 3. Overall it is great fun; I wish it could have had more seasons.