Away, Part One

I've decided this year not to take my vacation in one big chunk, but to break it up into individual weeks.

This week I am off to Stratford, a small city (pop. 30,000) set in a beautiful rural setting in southwestern Ontario that is very close to my heart.

The motto of the city is "Industria et Ars" and this sums it up pretty well. It was named after England's Stratford-upon-Avon, and indeed, the river that our Stratford sits on is also called the Avon.

Due mainly to the efforts of a local-born journalist, Tom Patterson, a Shakespeare festival was founded in 1952. Tyrone Guthrie came over from Britain as the festival's first artistic director, bringing Alec Guinness who was the title role in the first play to appear, Richard III. It is a major festival now, running April to November each season.

The mandate of the company is still to produce mainly Shakespeare (and that has recently been re-emphasized), but there is much else that fills out the season, from ancient Greek to contemporary, with the festival's musicals being highly popular as well. There are four theatres in all. The main one is the Festival stage, a very special place, designed by Tanya Moiseiwitsch, which features a thrust stage that incorporates the shape of both a classical Greek amphitheatre and Shakespeare's own Globe. It's a wonderful space to witness a great show. The actual building is designed to resemble the original tent that was the festival's first home.

As for what I'm up to... well - as little as possible. I'm being treated to a week of deep relaxation (no computer): long walks, massages, reading, and a few theatre tickets. I shall report back with my reviews on my return, on this you can be sure. Heh heh.