a Company of Fools Information

To present innovative, entertaining, and accessible shows based on the works of William Shakespeare. Best known for our Torchlight Shakespeare in the Park series, we tour 90-minute versions of Shakespeares hits to over 35 community parks during July and August. Our shows pair Shakespeares text with physical theatre techniques of slap-stick, mask, and puppetry. Let us help you discover your love for theatre through our foolish approach to storytelling! We believe that it doesnt matter where you live, how much you make, or how old you are: theatre should be accessible to everyone. All of our performances are for pass-the-hat donations, family friendly, and our tour to community parks means we bring the theatre to your own neighbourhood. Dont live near a theatre? Well come to you. Dont have much disposable income? Our shows are pay-what-you-can. Didnt eat dinner? Bring a picnic, or grab a snack at our Front of House tent! Both our shows and the material conditions surrounding them aim to challenge perceptions of theatre as an expensive, unaccessible, high brow art form. I know thats a big statement for a bunch of Fools! Outside of our summer tour, we engage in educational activities, host a local theatrical tradition known as The Ottawa Theatre Challenge, and hold fundraising events to help subsidize our tour to communities. We are a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and a registered charity.