Well after a bit of an extended hiatus This Week is back. After an explosive Fringe Festival that broke all attendance records to date, here comes some more festival news. Also after seeing the demise of ShakepeareWorks, Shakespeare in the Rough and Theatre By the Bay's yearly Shakespeare production many of you may be wondering, "Well where can I see any of the old bards stuff?" Here are a couple of options; a double stab at the same play going on right now in various locations in the city. But first:

Summerworks Theatre Festival - Summerworks launched its festival party at the Drake Hotel last night. The party was attended by many of the performers and artists that are involved in the festival and even was DJ'd by some of those artists. The festival officially opens tomorrow as the almost 50 juried plays (unlike Fringe's lottery system) and 8 readings take off into what promises to be another strong festival turn out. Ah yes!! Toronto is slowly bouncing back from the SARS of old.

Much Ado About Nothing - Canopy Theatre brings their take on the play that, though dubbed a comedy, has a much darker undertone to it. Love and gossip and struggle and confusion run rampant in this small Spanish city. Runs to Aug 4 at the Philosopher's Walk at U of T.

Much Ado About Nothing - Driftwood Theatre has been serving up tours of the bards work for a long time and in the midst of another dropping by Toronto's Trinity Bellwoods Park for a few days.Their take is set in post-WWI Canada. Runs to Aug 2.

Photo of Summerworks Admin staff members (From L to R) Leah Cameron, Nina Lutz, Lauren Brotman and Keira Loughran