The Two Gentlemen of Verona joins Much Ado About Nothing on the Bard on the Beach BMO Mainstage, until September 19.
Directed by Dean Paul Gibson, Two Gentlemen of Verona takes a nostalgic trip back to the ‘80s, sprinkled with homages to the era’s pop-culture characters and all the pastel suits, leather and lace costumes, pop dance classics and power ballads those of us of a certain age will remember fondly or cringe with embarrassment while being thoroughly entertained.
The play finds best friends Valentine (Matthew Ip Shaw) and Proteus (Jacob Leonard) tested when they fall for the same woman, Silvia (Agnes Tong). Valentine who travelled to Milan for work with his man Speed(Angus Yam) has fallen in love with her, while Proteus, leaving behind his devoted fiancée Julia (Tess Degenstein) in Verona but taking his half-baked man Launce (Scott Bellis), also becomes infatuated with Silvia. His infatuation will lead him to betray both his friend and his fair Julia. Meanwhile, Silvia’s father The Duke (Sheldon Elter) wants Silvia to marry the vapid Turio (Tanner Zerr). Not wanting to be far from her betrothed, Julia, disguised as a man, follows Proteus to Milan and secretly witnesses his heartbreaking disloyalty.
The ensuing Shakespearean misadventure finds the troupe dealing with banishment, disguises, misdirection, and a band of villainous outlaws, and the dog Crab, played by Mason Gaze, the real-life pup of Bard Artistic Director Christopher Gaze. Eventually truths are revealed and relationships tested but in the end will all be forgiven or are the betrayals too bold?
Photo: Tim Matheson
Pam Johnson’s set brilliantly takes us back to the Dynasty and Miami Vice eras of excess while Carmen Alatorre’s pitch perfect throwback costumes could be torn from the reels of John Hughes’ films as the cast and ensemble including; Jennifer Clement, Steffanie Davis, Craig Erickson, Paige Fraser, Kristi Hansen, Karthik Kadam, and Jennifer Tong, do their gnarliest in their totally awesome polyester, pastels, parachute pants and big hair.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona manages to take us back to the 1980s and 1580s with equal measures of camp pop-culture appeal and apparel alongside The Bard’s classic wit and wisdom – it’s a must see time trip that’s sure to leave you smiling with nostalgia.
Two Gentlemen of Verona runs on the BMO Mainstage alongside Much Ado About Nothing through September 19, 2025 at Bard on the Beach. Visit bardonthebeach.org for more information and tickets to any of this season’s Bard on the Beach productions including The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again] and The Dark Lady at the Douglas Campbell Theatre.