Shakespeare’s words wear many guises.
For veteran actor Garry Davey the meaning of Shakespeare’s text has evolved as he’s grown older. Now in his 60s Davey is exploring some of the characters he has grown to love over the years.
He’s sharing his interpretations during his one-man show, Shakespeare & Love, during the Gabriola Theatre Festival, Friday (Aug. 16) at 3 p.m.
It all started when Davey took a workshop with voice coach David Smukler. Davey decided to take on a role he would never play on stage and chose Helena from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
“It felt so freeing to take on a female character, to break away from conventions and old patterns of the male characters – and it encouraged me to look at them in a new light as well,” said Davey.
Davey has been on the stage and screen for the past 25 years and appeared in many popular TV shows including The X Files, Cold Squad and Da Vinci’s Inquest. Davey’s play explores many themes related to love: the love of home, loss of love and comedy’s approach to love.
“I want people to see and hear how accessible Shakespeare can be,” he said.
Davey said the festival is a “brilliant chance” for people on the island to see diverse work.
The Gabriola Theatre Festival runs Friday to Sunday (Aug. 16-18) at Folklife Village. This year’s festival features 10 plays: Shakespeare & Love; Syphilis: A Love Story; World in a Flapp; The Amazing and Impermeable Cromoli Brothers; Underneath the Lintel; Lesbian Etiquette Part 2; Stationary: A Recession-Era Musical; Shylock; Candide and Call Mr. Robeson.
Shylock features Antony Holland, who has been performing for more than 70 years.
Tickets are $20/$10 for attendees under 16 and for The World in a Flapp show. A three-show pass is $50 and a five-show pass is $75. Tickets are available at Gabriola Artworks or www.artsgabriola.ca.