Over the weekend, my aunt and I went to see The Misanthorpe. The show runs from until August 11, 2013 as part of the Guild Theatre Festival.
The Guildwood Property
The Guild Theatre Festival is similar to Shakespeare in the Park held at High Park. It’s a yearly event at the Guildwood Park, a very pretty Toronto Parks and Recreation property. Guildwood Park is located on the edge of the Scarborough Bluffs and has a interesting history. The property houses not only the Guild Inn but also a log cabin that was constructed in 1795 which still stands on the Guild Inn property. The Guild Inn’s central building was built by General Harold Bickford in 1914.
In 1932, Spencer and Rosa Clark purchased the property and established the “Guild of all Arts”. The Guild of all Arts began as a co-operative arts and crafts community and provided rent-free housing for several craftsment and their families. There are many architectural ornaments and artifacts are displayed throughout the property.
Not only did we enjoy the show, we enjoyed our brief walk around the property as well. The grounds were beautified with interesting architectural remnants and there was a little path leading to the Scarborough Bluffs which is surrounded by a forested – the Guildwood Park.
The Misanthorpe
The production was fun to watch at the open-air Greek Theatre. As much as we enjoyed the play, we were also entertained by some members of the audience. The Misanthrope, or the Cantankerous Lover (Le Misanthrope ou l’Atrabilaire amoureux) was written by Molière in the 17th-century. It was first performed on 4 June 1666 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, Paris by the King’s Players. The play makes fun of the French aristocratic society of the time as well as points out it’s flaws.
