Dauntless City Theatre is back with their latest production of This Earth of Majesty, a queer, site-specific, ambulatory, outdoor adaptation of Richard II in St. James Park.

The Monarch of Garden, Richard, loses control of his court and the common people, causing chaos throughout the land. His cousin, the charismatic Henry Riverbrook, seizes the realm. An epic tale of how it feels to lose, what it costs to win, and how families form and fracture under pressure.  You will shrink down to the size of a blade of grass and observe the sinister fairies and insects going about their politics in a new adaptation of Shakespeare’s Richard II.

The Monarch of Garden, Richard, played by Eric Benson (Much Ado About Nothing, All’s Well That End’s Well), loses control of his court and the common people, causing chaos throughout the land. His cousin, the charismatic Henry Riverbrook, played by Suchiththa Wickremesooriya (Bend it Like Beckham), seizes the realm.

This is very much a new adaptation presented to give fresh perspectives and a new voice to the Shakespearean classic. The production has pulled out the ordinary person’s point of view in the caretakers, who have expanded roles from the original, wherein they were just the gardeners and have only one scene. It was important to the team to have a look into the consequences of the kings’ bad decisions through people the audience will care about and get to know.

This Earth of Majesty builds on Dauntless’ legacy of queering, subverting, and transforming the Bard, featuring a cast reflective of the city of Toronto. The show is set in an explicitly queer world exploring how putting classical text in conversation with contemporary diversity can produce new understandings of ourselves and our past.

This Earth of Majesty – St. James Park (120 King St E, Toronto)

August 5th – 28th, 2022. Friday/Saturday evening at 7pm. Saturday/Sunday matinee at 1pm. 

PWYC at the gate. No ticket required- Poster by Dahlia Katz.

Dauntless City Theatre is dedicated to bringing site-specific performances to non-traditional spaces. They make classical theatre accessible to the citizens of and visitors to Toronto via pay-what-you-can performances to ensure economic accessibility. They broaden opportunities for talented actors of all races, sexualities, religions, and gender identities to explore timeless characters in new ways. 

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.