Shakespeare in the Ruff will present the world premiere of Tiff’ny of Athens as their summer mainstage production. Tiff’ny of Athens, adapted from William Shakespeare and Thomas Middleton’s Timon of Athens by Nathaniel Hanula-James and Christine Horne, will take the stage at Withrow Park from August 14 to 31.
Patricia Allison directs, and the play stars Lucy Hill as the Painter and other roles, Christine Horne as the titular Tiff’ney, Warona Setshwaelo as Apemantus and other roles, and Ben Yoganathan as Flavius and various others.
The Company
Shakespeare in the Ruff is a not-for-profit theatre company that is run as a collective in Toronto’s East End. Their core values include accessibility, and reimagining Shakespeare for a contemporary audience in an outdoor theatre setting.
The company was founded in 2012 by Brendan McMurty-Howlett, and their first show was Two Gents, an adaptation of The Two Gentlemen of Verona. In 2021, the company moved to a collective organization, with a leadership team made up of Patricia Allison, Nathaniel Hanula-James, Christine Horne, and Jeff Yung..
The Show
Shakespeare’s original story, now believed largely to have been co-written with Thomas Middleton, tells the story of a wealthy Athenian, Timon, who squanders his wealth on gifts to his friends. When the money runs out, and his friends turn against him, he rejects humanity and retreats to a cave in the woods. It’s among the least known of Shakespeare’s plays.
The Ruff adaptation turns the story into a comedy about a wealthy socialite. She’s got it all, or so it seems, until a sudden change in circumstances make her re-evaluate everything she thought she knew about money, friends, and community.
In 2024, Ruff set a tone of social relevance with A Witch in Algiers, an adaptation of The Tempest by Makram Ayache that snagged a Dora Award. The Toronto Vital Signs Report for 2024 flagged economic insecurity as one of the major issues facing Torontonians, one that affects their mental and physical wellbeing.
Tiff’ny of Athens looks at the realities of living in the city in 2025 #inthiseconomy, but with a view that includes a sense of humour and fun, and, of course, theatricality. The text includes original writing, along with texts from sources that range from The Bard himself to the CRA.
The creative team includes set and prop design by Amelia Blaine, costume design by Julia Kim, lighting consultation from Theo Belc, and original sound design by Patricia Allison and the full company. The production team includes producer Janice Peters Gibson, stage manager Alysse Szatkowski, assistant stage manager Kasie Rayner, and production assistant Jacob Beecher.
Production Manager Annasofie Jakobsen and Technical Director Remington North are shared with Dusk Dances, another longtime arts organization in Withrow Park.
The Details
Bring your own lawn chair and pull up to the stage. Available accessibility options include open captioning, street-to-seat guides, pre-show touch tours, and mobility device seating. Please reserve these on the ticketing page, or email producer@shakespeareintheruff.com.
Previews on August 14 and 15, opening night is on August 16, with performances until August 31.
- Find tickets and other details [HERE].
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