Gripping show in Vernon

Cliff Cardinal's gritty As You Like It, or The Land Acknowledgement is coming to Vernon.

Described as “sly, funny, and charming,” and hailed as “the Canadian arts surprise of the year,” the performance has been lauded for its dark humour, difficult subject matter and raw emotion.

The opening performance of Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre Society's 2024-25 Spotlight Theatre Series takes to the stage on Thursday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m.

“I have been a fan of Cliff Cardinal’s work for many years. This gripping performance will make you laugh and break your heart,” said VDPAC’s artistic director Erin Kennedy.

“In this radical re-telling of William Shakespeare’s classic, Cultural provocateur Cliff Cardinal, widely-known for his acerbic, mischievous and fearless approach, brings a devastating yet laugh-out-loud examination of land acknowledgements as a cultural and political practice. Cardinal’s Cree and Lakota heritage deeply informs this production, adding a unique and powerful perspective to the timeless themes of mistaken identities, banishment and forgiveness,” said a press release from the VDPAC.

Based in Toronto, Crow's Theatre has been a leading force in new play creation in Canada for four decades. It hosts a wide range of programming and collaborations with Canadian and international artists, aiming to ignite passionate engagement by creating and promoting theatre that examines pivotal narratives of our times.

The audience is advised that the performance addresses challenging themes, including war and its associated violence, colonization, adult language, sexual violence, gun violence, mass murder and suicide.

“There is subject matter which may cause distress or trigger challenging emotions for some of our audience members. If there are certain themes that you would find particularly disturbing, please speak to someone in patron's services before entering the theatre.”

Tickets are $30 for adults, $27 for seniors, $25 for students. The performance is 1 hour and 30 minutes without intermission.

For tickets, contact Ticket Seller at 250-549-SHOW (7469) or click here to purchase online.