The Dark Lady | Bard on the Beach | Douglas Campbell Theatre | July 3 – September 19, 2025
“It smells like what knowledge should smell like,” says Emilia Bassano as she holds a book up to her nose. Emilia is a strong contender to be the infamous ‘dark lady’ referred to in Shakespeare’s sonnets. This story imagines them as lovers and creative partners. They are both passionate about the arts, poetry, and each other.
Jessica B. Hill’s writing is quick-witted and full of smart references. This is the kind of play that would be worth reading to take it all in slowly. Arghavan Jenati as Emilia delivers her lines with strength and confidence, and at times with a bit too much speed and urgency. Nathan Kay as William Shakespeare is humble and boyish, especially in Emilia’s presence. They banter back and forth in a dance of equals, showing off their intellect and teasing each other.
“Write me a woman who fights for what she wants,” says Emilia. Shakespeare is supposedly inspired by Emilia to write Ophelia in Hamlet, Emilia in Othello, among many other characters named after or inspired by her.
There are scenes that flow beautifully with great chemistry and the writing makes it seem extremely plausible that Emilia was the mysterious dark lady. Either way, I’m glad to have learned more about her through this story and it’s a shame we don’t hear more about her as England’s first female published poet.
Emilia’s situation is also tragic. As she says, she made a compromise between the bonds of marriage and a kind of freedom when she chose to be the Lord Chamberlain’s mistress. Similarly, Shakespeare’s life in the city away from his family in Stratford allows him a kind of freedom, but at great cost to his relationship with his wife and children. When Emilia becomes pregnant, he’s not able to be present in the way he needs to for her or his family in Stratford.
Moya O’Connell’s production is not encumbered with many props or a busy stage. The set by Ryan Cormack allows the dialogue and deep relationship to be the focus as it unfolds and evolves, and the costumes by Alaia Hamer are versatile and evolve along with the characters.
The Dark Lady premiered in 2023 at Shakespeare in the Ruins in Winnipeg and Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. I’m sure it will have a long life and be seen at many other festivals across the country and beyond.
While their circumstances make it difficult for them to be together, and their relationship remains behind closed doors, Bassano and Shakespeare share a deep and meaningful connection that weaves in themes of legacy and class along with gender equality and love. It could be that Emilia was a major muse for Shakespeare, driving him to write women characters with more agency who fight and stand up for themselves. It’s heartening to imagine it this way.
