Prophetess

Tarragon opens its 55th-anniversary season with the world premiere of *Prophetess*, written by Ho Ka Kei (Jeff Ho) and directed by Mike Payette. Inspired by Shakespeare's history plays, it turns an English department into a battleground where language, ambition, and prophecy collide.

What to expect

Margaret, the department chair and self-appointed queen of etymology, wakes from a nightmare filled with spiders. At breakfast, the creature from her dream appears in the real world—speaking, growling, and cursing her—before the first day of term erupts into sparring words and a battle for the throne.

The play digs into the roots of the words people use to define themselves and asks whether those definitions can also determine their futures. Tarragon has assembled a formidable cast for the premiere: Karen Robinson, Christine Horne, and Rick Roberts.

The venue

The production plays Tarragon's Mainspace on Bridgman Avenue, just north of Dupont between Bathurst and Christie. Dupont station is the closest subway stop. The theatre has an on-site bar, and the Annex is within walking distance for a meal before or after the show.