Show times: Sept. 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28 at 7:30pm and Sept. 22 at 2:00pm.

Beowulf (and the Bard) is a fun, frenetic and freewheeling farce that updates the Old English poem about the warrior Beowulf, who must rescue the mead hall from a hideous ogre (and his even more hideous mother). The comedy’s events unfold much differently than the familiar story passed down through the ages. In reality, Beowulf is an out-of-shape prince hoping to fulfill the heroic code, while the bard is a desperate poet struggling with a nasty case of writer’s block. This retelling also introduces a new female character: the bloodthirsty warrior princess Gunborg. Beowulf (and the Bard) is a comedy about friendship, duty and what it means to be a hero.

This show is directed by Seona Zimmermann, who directed The Play That Goes Wrong last season.