CLOSE TIES KEEP BRINGING DAVID MARR BACK TO B A R D ON THE B E A C H 6y Cijnnamen Sehreinert or North Vancouver resident David Marr it's the camaraderie among the cast and / crew that keeps bringing him back to Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival. In his eleventh season with the company, David Marr is reuniting with friends to appear in the comedy The Taming of the Shrew and in Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare's most tragic love story. With the pairing of these two familiar Shakespeare plays this season, D a v i d feels these w o r k s comment on "the complexity of love, human relationships and sexual politics." 1-- In The Taming of the Shrew D a v i d plays G r e m i o , the wealthy but older gentleman who is in love with the young Bianca. Bianca however continues to keep her marriage options open while two other young men pursue her throughout the course of the play. "It's still true today as it was then, old men with money can't always buy love," says Marr. Playing Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet, David takes on the role of a priest who decides to aid the young lovers in their relationship. We know how the story ends. The Friar only wants to make them happy, however "the road to hell is still paved with good intentions," says M a r r while reflecting on Shakespeare's insights into human behaviour that still ring true today. The four m o n t h l o n g festival is a perfect backdrop for forging friendships and relationships. " F o r me, the definitive Bard summer experience is sitting backstage in the grotto on a beautiful summer day, chatting with friends, and listening for my cue," says D a v i d . Under the shade of the trees and the tents, working at Bard on the Beach is a summer experience unlike any other. " E x p l o r i n g the works of Shakespeare, and the tightly-knit 'Bard family' on and off the stage, are what continually bring me back season after season." David's Bard career highlight remains the one closest to his heart. In 1996 he played Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing opposite his future wife's Beatrice. The couple currently reside in North Vancouver. David Marr in Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew WHAT: Bard on the Beach WHEN: Runs until September 23 WHERE: Vanier Park, Vancouver MORE INFO: Call 604.739.0559 or visit www.bardonthebeach.org. 4 July | August