W.S. GILBERT’S FEISTY AND HILARIOUS ENGAGED BEGINS PREVIEWS, Satirical look at love, marriage and money inspired comedies of Shaw, Wilde and Coward

–  Satirical look at love, marriage and money inspired comedies of Shaw, Wilde and Coward –

Director Morris Panych and his design team fashions an 1800s with distinctly contemporary touches. The set by Ken MacDonald is inspired by eighteenth to twentieth century works of botanical artistry – turning the Royal George Theatre stage into an enchanting dreamlike garden. Charlotte Dean’s costumes take gorgeous liberties with past and present, while delighting in the outrageous throughout. Adding to this is Alan Brodie’s lighting design and Ryan deSouza’s original music.

An English train is derailed in Scotland forcing its passengers to stay the night in a nearby cottage. One of the passengers – a wealthy bachelor named Cheviot Hill (Gray Powell) is prone to proposing to beautiful women – so much so that his friend Belvawney (Jeff Meadows) has the sole duty of disentangling his friend from these engagements. Despite Belvawney’s efforts, Cheviot still finds himself betrothed to three women: Minnie Symperson (Diana Donnelly), a London debutante; Maggie Mcfarlane (Julia Course), a Highland lass; and Belinda Treherne (Nicole Underhay), a socialite on the run. When the status of Cheviot’s fortune comes into question, so too does the women’s love for him.

The Shaw Festival’s production of Engaged also features the talents of Matthew Finlan, Mary Haney, Martin Happer, Claire Jullien, Ric Reid and Shawn Wright.

Engaged is on stage at the Royal George Theatre (85 Queen St., Niagara-on-the-Lake) from June 15 to October 23 (opening June 24).

Cast (in alphabetical order):

Creative & Production:

The Shaw Festival’s 2016 season is on stage April 9 through October 23. The playbill features Alice in Wonderland, A Woman of No Importance, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Uncle Vanya, “Master Harold” …and the Boys, The Adventures of the Black Girl in Her Search for God, Our Town, Mrs Warren’s Profession, Engaged, and The Dance of Death. Tickets for the Shaw Festival’s 2016 Season are available through the Box Office at 1-800-511-7429 or online at www.shawfest.com.

The Shaw Festival is a theatre company inspired by the work of Bernard Shaw. The Festival produces plays from and about his era along with contemporary plays that share Shaw’s provocative exploration of society and celebration of humanity.