Siobhan Richardson, Phoenix Fyre, Rashaana Cumberbatch and Janelle Hanna in Heratio | Photo by Raph Nogal
“Sad. Angry. Perfect!”
This is the hilariously emphatic description Horatio (Janelle Hanna) offers up to describe his late friend Hamlet and we catch a potent whiff of something beyond platonic amity. While the full revelation that this familiar character is actually a woman happens rather late in the story, the title does give it away and it is far from the only surprise in store for audiences of Heratio. Playwright Genevieve Adam’s Shakespearean tribute is the first original work presented by Guild Festival Theatre! While spoofing the form, it is also an affectionate and whimsical continuation of the unfolding drama that plagues Elsinore. Slipping in references to Hamlet and several other works in the canon, she’s crafted a meta-theatrical treat that is both giddy and melancholic.
Opening on a pair of servants cleaning up the mess, Violet (Siobhan Richardson) and Rue (Phoenix Fire), we are thrust unceremoniously into the aftermath of the bloodshed. Violet, long-standing castle staff, is the authority here and Richardson has a no-nonsense ethos that makes it clear she takes no prisoners. Her dynamic with Fire’s newbie establishes that Rue is, perhaps, a little too clever and inquisitive for their own good and Violet will have none of it. Both, we learn, have their secrets.
Slinking about the castle, Horatio drops hints that he/she has knowledge of the ghastly events that could force all concerned to re-contextualize the story we think we all know. For much of the play, Hanna has an endearingly awkward, aw-shucks demeanour. Despite being so intimately tied to Hamlet’s drama, she’s a fish of water here amidst the new regime. Ah, Fortinbras, the new king, what a pompous goober! Jack Davidson seems the most clownish in his regal posturing. Adam has given him a penchant for using the Royal “We” that just grows increasingly ludicrous! His insistence on referring to all things pre-tragedy as “The Before Times” is a pretty great running gag.
Into this comedically tense situation drops Columbine (Rashaana Cumberbatch). She’s got a knife and brandishes it often! Who is she? The late Guildenstern’s sister! She wants answers, damn it! Just when we’re starting to get a read on the situation, shrouded bodies suddenly behave unpredictably! Now, everyone here is charismatic and fun to behold, each has their heartfelt moments too, but when Philippa Domville bursts onto the scene as a royal matriarch, well, things get wild and I was on board!
The Queen is haughty, mischievous, vulgar, conniving, and witty; Domville, an electric and commanding presence, renders her array of colourful qualities with a steady lightness of touch. She’s exhilarating! And everyone levels up accordingly.
There are mysteries, confessions, alliances, conspiracies, murders most foul, sad little asides, outrageous nonsense and Bard-y references galore. And it’s not just the gentry who get to partake; this time around, the help have a stake in the all the drama.
Balancing the silly antics with an understated gravitas, director Helen Juvonen is a fine interpreter for Adam’s text. Both demonstrate a sincere and persuasive affection for period ethos—never musty or too mannered. The Elizabethan trappings here, while not outright parody, are certainly arch. Nancy Anne Perrin’s production design—traditional costumes, a formal throne—is elegant and doesn’t oversell the comedic purpose, allowing the script and the actors to hit those beats.
And so, while being very overtly silly, it feels surprisingly grounded. That familiar thread of melancholy ties it all together and makes it seem, weirdly enough, like an authentic continuation of Hamlet. As history repeats itself, there are intriguing consequences and juicy revelations.
The rest, may or may not, be silence.
Heratio
August 7 to 24, 2025
The Greek Theatre, Guild Park & Gardens
(201 Guildwood Parkway)
75 minutes (no intermission)
Jack Davidson, Philippa Domville, Siobhan Richardson in Heratio | Photo by Raph Nogal