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Stratford Festival performs in Shakespeare's homeland

It's the Bard's 400th birthday! To celebrate, some of Canada's finest actors are journeying overseas to Chichester, England. Over the course of three weeks, Canada's renowned Stratford Festival troupe is hoping to boost the small city's fledgling Shakespearean festival. On April 6, 1964, the company performs Love's Labours Lost to great acclaim. In this CBC Radio clip, the Canadians are celebrated for their successful showing.

Stratford Festival performs in Shakespeare's homeland

• The Chichester Festival Theatre was founded by Leslie Evershed-Martin. He was inspired by a film about Tyrone Guthrie, artistic director of Ontario's Stratford Festival. With Laurence Olivier as its first director, the Chichester Festival opened its doors in 1962.
• The Canadians performed three plays: Love's Labours Lost, Timon of Athens, and Molière's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme.

• The troupe played to more than 75 per cent capacity houses over the course of the three week mini-festival. The most famous attendee was the Queen Mother who attended a gala performance and met with the cast afterwards.
• The Daily Telegraph noted, "The North American accents peep through with an almost endearing discretion." Other reviews raved, "Never was Love's Labours Lost more ecstatically received or the open stage more triumphantly vindicated" and "The Canadians succeed in making us enjoy even the half understood allusions."

• William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Considered the finest dramatist, he wrote 38 plays and 154 sonnets.
• The Stratford Festival was founded by Tom Patterson and opened on July 13, 1953. For more on the festival, please visit The Stratford Festival: The First Fifty Years

Also on April 6:
• 1896: The first modern Olympic Games opens in Athens, Greece. The first victory goes to American triple jumper James Connolly. Canada did not send athletes to the Games until 1900 in Paris.
• 1968: Pierre Trudeau is elected leader of the federal Liberal Party on the fourth ballot at an Ottawa convention.


• 1994: One of the world's worst cases of genocide is triggered in the African nation of Rwanda. Hutu extremists shoot down a plane carrying the presidents of Rwanda and neighbouring Burundi. Canadian Gen. Romeo Dallaire is picked to lead the newly formed United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda.

Stratford Festival performs in Shakespeare's homeland

Medium: Radio

Program: Soundings

Broadcast Date: 1964-04-06

Host: Barry Dimock

Duration: 3:35

Last updated:
Jan. 27, 2012