Both patrons and critics alike are praising Stephen Drover’s “bold, and … revelatory” (Colin Thomas) interpretation of Hamlet—and you only have a few more performances left to catch it!

Last week, we had a chance to chat with Bard veteran Munish Sharma, who is joining us for his fourth Season under the tents as Claudius in Hamlet and Curio/Monsieur Topaz in Twelfth Night. Read on to learn more about Munish, how he prepared for the role of Claudius, and some of his favourite memories from past Seasons at Bard!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you first got into acting?
I’ll begin at the beginning. “And God said, let there be-” Kidding. Hi, my name is Munish. I can either be very playful or the strong silent type. Italian cuisine is only second to my mother’s home cooking when it comes to food. I enjoy the colour red, but to be honest I love all pastoral colors. One of my favourite hobbies is going for walks and I guess dancing (insert smiling face here). I was cast as Captain Hook in our Grade 3 production of Peter Pan and decided that being an artist was my purpose in life. I’ve been failing and succeeding at it ever since.

What has it been like for you to dive into a role like Claudius in Hamlet?
I’m over the moon and grateful for the opportunity to play Claudius. It’s been a huge challenge for me which I love. It’s been hard work—every day I did something wrong and failed, but it mattered so much to me that I refused to let insecurity win. Having the opportunity to finally work with Stephen Drover has been a gift as well. What a director! Legends like Andrew Wheeler and Marcus Youssef taught me so much this Season. Also, Alison [Matthews], Alana [Hawley Purvis], and Dean [Paul Gibson] really were there for me through the process, encouraging me to dig deeper with my vocal and text work. I’ll cherish this opportunity forever. Like forever ever.

In addition to playing Curio and Monsieur Topaz in Twelfth Night, you’re also the understudy for Orsino. How has that process been for you?
Being an understudy is hard, but in a good way. It’s a different kind of mental challenge. You must make sure you honour the work that is being created and keep the role fresh in your mind, just in case you do have to go on. I also kept things in perspective when approaching it. In my case the major focus was on Claudius and Curio/Monsieur Topaz because that was what I would be doing every night, and I let Orsino flow into the prep. Bard did a healthy job of having guideposts for understudy requirements this Season, and as it evolves, it will get better.

Do you have a favourite memory from this summer or from past Seasons at Bard?
Honestly, this Season has been wonderful. There are so many people in the Company that I admire and respect and it has been great being in the room with them. I love artists who focus on making the best show possible while also maintaining a healthy workplace. Super fortunate to work with Kate Besworth for the third year in a row. That woman is a gem. Being Claudius to Nadeem’s Hamlet is amazing. We played brothers in 2019. But like, memories-wise? Let’s see…. sword fighting with Nadeem in All’s Well That Ends Well in 2019, wearing a tutu as Thisbe in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2022, playing Falstaff in Henry V in 2023, and dancing as Claudius have got to be a few.

Munish Sharma as Claudius, Jennifer Clement as Gertrude, and Christine Quintana as Osric in Hamlet (2024). Photo by Tim Matheson.

When you aren’t in rehearsal or performing, how do you like to spend your time?
I usually sit staring at a wall and contemplate the meaning of life, but when I’m not doing that I enjoy reading. I do dance a little every day. I also like going on little adventures. By that I mean I turn my errands into adventures. Most of all I work on spending time with the people I love. Being with the people you love is what makes life special. I’ll be back with my East Van Panto fam at the Cultch this Christmas. Come check out Robin Hood!

Thanks so much for catching up with us, Munish!

If you haven’t already, be sure to see Munish and the rest of our Mainstage Company in Hamlet! Bard veteran Chirag Naik takes on the title role for the month of September—catch his interpretation of Hamlet before the production closes on September 20.

Limited performances remaining. Buy your tickets now!