Fly On the Wall, July 19, 2013

It’s Sizzling
by Jim Murchison 
@JimMurchison

All I can think of right now is it is hot. It is damn hot. Summer time in Ottawa is wall to wall festivals. A lot of them are indoors but most of them celebrate that we can actually spend some quality time outdoors without the need of a parka.

So in addition to Bluesfest, Folkfest, Ribfest, Blues and Ribfest (it is a separate festival combining both), Westfest, Beerfest, Festival of India, Greekfest and many more, we have Shakespeare in the park. I don’t know if anything can put a damper on any of these events as we as a people are just so glad to be outdoors. I’ve seen people stay in rain and in blistering heat.

After Fringe, things certainly slow down a bit in the indoor theatres, but parks spring to life. Theatre in the elements can yield unique surprises, as wildlife and loose pets can add to the improvisational element as well as stray people that had no idea they were near a theatrical event. The elements themselves are probably what is most interesting and variable for both a cast and audience experience. Right now the most important thing in preparing to attend an outdoor show is stay hydrated. Next week it might be wear a sweater.

Read the reviews of The Comedy of Errors and The Merry Wives of Windsor and go check them out for yourself, because winter will be back soon and as most Ottawa locals will tell you once they stop complaining about the heat; it’s too cold here and there is nothing to do in the winter.