Wet weather puts damper on Shakespeare by the Bow
Posted Aug 5, 2016 11:15 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Something is soggy in the state of Denmark.
Shakespeare by the Bow has had to cancel 11 performances of Hamlet at Prince’s Island Park this season amidst one of the wettest seasons they’ve ever seen.
Other shows have gone on, despite some not-so-nice conditions.
“We’ve had a tumultuous summer to say the least,” Said Program Director Hasim Kadri. “We’re kind of kicking ourselves that we didn’t program the Tempest instead.”
Kadri, who’s been with the organization since 1996, says he’s seen the good, the bad and the ugly.
“But, I’ve never seen a consistent downpour from week to week to week, where our shows have been affected, so, it’s definitely an anomaly – the weather patterns this summer.”
He says the amount of people taking in the drama, has probably been cut in half since last year.
“It does affect our donations, and it is a pay what you will,” Kadri said. “But we’re more concerned with having patrons being able to see the future of our Canadian theatre artists on display. We’re really proud of the program that Theatre Calgary has put forward.”
The one positive is the weather has been a great mood setter.
“When Hamlet says it’s a cold and biting air, you know sometimes it has been a really cold and biting air, so,” Kadri said. “You know Elsinore is supposed to be dark and gloomy so, and we’ve had a great natural light design with clouds.”
Hamlet runs Tuesday to Sunday until August 21.
