CMEDIA: Inspired by William Congreve’s The Way of the World and written and directed by Jovanni Sy, The Tao of the World, a new comedy to be world premièred at the Stratford Festival.
Weaving together love, loyalty and ambition in a fast-paced environment, The Tao of the World would officially be showcased Aug 20, 2026 at the Tom Patterson Theatre
Singaporean socialite Arabella Flynn discovers her former lover Edward Lim intends to marry her younger cousin, Millicent Tan, and plans to intervene.
Before long, Arabella’s increasingly desperate efforts draw in her mother, Lady Helena Yu, and her lifelong confidant, Devan, and unleash chaos for everyone involved. All the while, the family’s staff, unnoticed by their privileged employers, quietly observe every twist, turn and indiscretion.
Drawn to the genre associated with plays written during the period following the fall of Cromwell’s Commonwealth in the 1650s and by the sharp wit and intricate social dynamics of Restoration comedy, Sy was eager to explore the form.
Reflecting how Restoration comedies often focused on the lives of wealthy nobility and their abuse of power, Sy noted the efforts of the frontline workers — who had sustained communities throughout the pandemic — were often overlooked.
Working at a time in which COVID-19 vaccines had begun to reopen the world, Sy reconsidered to shift the focus of the story from wealthy elite to the “unseen” working class. set out to create a work that shifted attention from the
“The Tao of the World is my homage to Restoration comedy…celebrates the joy of being alive and the absurdities of falling in love…questions what restoration means, ” Sy has said.
The Tao of the World features Agnes Tong as Arabella Flynn, Heidi Sy Damayo as Millicent Tan, Manami Hara as Lady Helena Yu, Karthik Kadam as Devan Pillay, Derek Kwan as Jackson Lee, Michael Man as Dr. Wilson Wong and Angus Yam as Edward Lim with Scotia Browner as Fangirl, Boon, Tim Campbell as Trevor Flynn, Sara-Jeanne Hosie as Eleanor Marwood, Aaron Krohn, Richard Lee, Nestor Lozano Jr. as Toto, Davinder Malhi, Silvae Mercedes, Nadine Villasin as Kamila and Jennifer Villaverde.
Opening officially on Aug 20, 2026 and running until Sept 26, 2026 at the Tom Patterson Theatre, tickets for The Tao of the World are available at stratfordfestival.ca or by calling 1.800.567.1600.The 2026 season Apr to Nov also features:
The Tempest | Guys and Dolls | Something Rotten! | Waiting for Godot
Death of a Salesman | The Hobbit | The Importance of Being Earnest | Saturday, Sunday, Monday
A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Othello | The Tao of the World | The King James Bible Play
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