Toronto Fringe Review: Whose Lineage Is It Anyway?

What pops into your mind when you think “Shakespearean”? Star-crossed lovers, vengeful plots, maybe a sprinkle of magic.

In Whose Lineage Is It Anyway? An Improvised Shakespearean History, a cast of five create an on-the-spot show inspired by the famous playwright’s works and a story from the audience. At the show I attended, company members Brent Hirose, Delaney Gilmour, Evan Brow, Martina Vos, and Zach Wolfman were inspired by one of the Bard’s well-known plot devices: the art of disguise.

In just a short hour, a tale set in Italy travels through a fight for the crown, accidental murder, and attempts to win a prince’s heart. Along for the sprightly ride is a family who becomes burdened with tragedy, all thanks to the twisting whispers of their villainous advisor, Ignacio (Brow).

Brow sells the comedy for the troupe, his crooked stares to the audience and aptly timed wicked laughs hit the nail on the funny bone. Vos stands out as the brother regretfully named king who quickly spirals deeper and deeper into disarray.

Most impressive though is the company's ability to improvise a show that so effectively presents itself as Shakespearean. The clever asides, soliloquies ending in realization, and language of the time period prove the cast know exactly what they’re doing. Smooth inclusions of iambic pentameter, particularly by Hirose, make the improv all the more remarkable.

Improvising the complexities and intricacies involved in Shakespeare's stories is a challenge, but this cast ensures it’s rapt with intriguing twists and turns. If you’re an enthusiast of the Bard, this one’s for you.

Whose Lineage Is It Anyway? is on now until July 12 at the Toronto Fringe. Show times and tickets