The Dark Lady reclaims the story of Emilia Bassano at Bard on the Beach, July 3 to September 19
The first female published poet in England interacts with Shakespeare in Jessica B. Hill’s witty, complex love story
The Dark Lady. Photo by Emily Cooper
Bard on the Beach presents celebrated Canadian playwright and actor Jessica B. Hill’s The Dark Lady in the Douglas Campbell Theatre tent from July 3 to September 19.
The Dark Lady reclaims a story that was almost lost: that of Emilia Bassano, an intriguing multiracial, trilingual woman who was also a talented musician and England’s first female published poet. Is Bassano the “Dark Lady” of Shakespeare’s sonnets?
Witty and intimate, this production brings the two poets together in a complex love story about art, collaboration, desire, and ambition. This two-hander is full of charged dialogue and helps audiences both understand and challenge their love of Shakespeare through a powerful exploration of intimacy and legacy.
Directed by Moya O’Connell, The Dark Lady stars Arghavan Jenati as Emilia and Nathan Kay as Shakespeare. The production features original music composed by Anju Singh.
For tickets and more details, visit Bard on the Beach.
Post sponsored by Bard on the Beach.
Related Articles
In this left-field comedy, the obsessive lead character is driven by the same perfectionism that her creator has learned to leave aside in life
Based on Adrian Glynn McMorran’s album of the same name, the show at the Arts Club’s BMO Theatre Centre is more than just a concert
Sharp dialogue and restless energy, prodded on by the little irritations of married life, result in cozy yet unsettling laughs
Ahead of his Anvil Theatre show, the long-time cruise-line performer talks about dispelling childhood fears with lovable characters
In DanceHouse and The Cultch co-presentation, the Hungarian company is full of flowing bodies and rippling fabric
Sanaz Toossi’s play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2023 for its look at four students preparing for the TOEFL
Latinx theatre artist’s debut script unfolds across three worlds: Toronto, Antigua Guatemala, and a realm in which the immigration system functions like a game show
Adrian Glynn McMorran’s moving theatre-concert pays tribute to his Ukraine-born grandparents, complete with a choir and traditional instruments
Offerings range from storytelling event The Family Flame to dance parties, documentary screenings, drag performances, and more
The starkly moving show by the Czech Republic’s Archa Centre of Documentary Theatre recounts true stories of lives upended by the conflict
Production by Tracey Power transports audiences back to the time of coffeehouse open mics that nurtured musicians like Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen
Théâtre Gauche production probes into linguistic insecurities and the stigma of being a “bad francophone”
Romantic comedy set in 1960s New York City follows newlyweds navigating marriage, compromise, and the beautiful mess of learning how to live
Presented with the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and Presentation House Theatre, Faly Mevamanana’s play centres on a cultural obsession with competition
Skilled Canadian ventriloquist has competed on America’s Got Talent and headlined with Disney Cruise Line for more than two decades
Ruby Slippers Theatre presentation features new works by Irene (Fan) Yi, Abi Padilla, Marcia Johnson, Alexandra Lainfiesta, and Sewit Eden Haile
Amir Hosseini directs the Blackout Art Society production about four Iranian adults preparing for an English proficiency exam
Playwright Mieko Ouchi’s story of one woman’s self-discovery in the Nevada Desert is rooted in her mother’s true story
Provocatively reimagined endings to opera and Shakespeare were among the random scenes that stuck with us from the year onstage
Whether you’re into show tunes or funk, improv comedy or acrobatics, you’re sure to find your own way of welcoming 2026 with the help of Vancouver’s arts companies and venues
James & Jamesy’s family-friendly show sails through a series of slapstick and sometimes surreal journeys
