Mandate
To present innovative, entertaining, and accessible shows based on the works of William Shakespeare.
Who are these Fools?
Best known for our Torchlight Shakespeare in the Park series, we tour 90-minute versions of Shakespeare’s hits to over 35 community parks during July and August.
Our shows pair Shakespeare’s 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 doesn’t 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.
Don’t live near a theatre? We’ll come to you.
Don’t have much disposable income? Our shows are pay-what-you-can.
Can’t find a babysitter? Bring your kids! Bring your dog too!
Didn’t 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… that’s 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.