Romancing the Bard offers a look at the Stratford Festival in its first fifty years as it developed from a bold venture driven by vision of a handful of eager enthusiasts to its present status as a multi-million dollar cultural and commercial enterprise. With profiles of Stratford personalities from founder Tyrone Guthrie to current artistic director Richard Monette, it provides glimpses of intrigue and conflict both offstage and on.

The book traces the development of a distinctive Canadian acting style, the soaring costs of production and design, the conflict between artists and moneymen, the external image promoted by publicists or imposed by critics and the changing mandate as the Festival assumes an increasingly populist character.

This is a celebration of a uniquely successful artistic enterprise, and focuses on some of the Festival’s finest productions. Illustrated with photographs from the Festival archives.

Martin Hunter was born in Toronto. On his graduation from the University of Toronto he joined the Department of External Affairs, and later had a career in business before returning to his first love, the theatre. He served as artistic director of Hart House Theatre at U of T in the seventies. Active as a director and as a playwright, he has written for many magazines and produced a number of programs for CBC radio. His first book, Romancing the Bard, was published in 2001.

Martin Hunter's profile page

"Martin Hunter is a highly entertaining theatre professional who knows the Stratford Festival scene intimately."

Stratford Book Festival