Beyond the Sea: a romantic comedy at Globus Theatre

Two strangers meet on a pier on a summer’s day. What follows is funny, unexpected, romantic—and a reminder that sometimes it takes a stranger to make us see our own lives differently.

Globus Theatre founders Sarah Quick and James Barrett return to the stage together this August in Beyond the Sea, a funny and heart-warming romantic comedy by acclaimed Ontario playwright Kristen Da Silva.

Set on a pier in a small town, Beyond the Sea follows a man and a woman whose chance encounter gradually becomes something neither of them expected. Filled with humour, warmth and small-town charm, the play explores connection, loneliness, new beginnings and the courage it takes to hope again.

Beyond the Sea was commissioned by Lighthouse Festival Theatre specifically as a two-hander that a couple could perform together. As Da Silva developed the play, one of the ideas she drew upon was the legend of the Woman in White—a story that appears in different forms across many cultures.

“While I was writing this, I was reflecting so much on our need for connection and the loneliness of isolation, so the play evolved from those themes,” said Da Silva in a press release. “It’s a special one for me and I’m so happy to see it staged at Globus.”

Globus audiences will certainly be no strangers to the production’s two stars. For more than 20 years, real-life couple Sarah Quick and James Barrett have served as artistic director and artistic producer of Globus Theatre, overseeing, managing, directing and performing in countless productions. 

While audiences see plenty of both of them individually, opportunities to see the pair share the stage are increasingly rare.

“Last season, we heard from quite a few audience members who were disappointed that James and I weren’t appearing onstage together,” said Quick. “We definitely took note! When we started planning this season, we made sure to give audiences what they were asking for. And Beyond the Sea felt like the perfect play for us to do together.”

Quick’s recent Globus credits include writing and directing the murder mystery dinner Murder at the Match, directing Sore Losers and Fly Me to the Moon, and starring in Shirley Valentine, which also completed a run at Theatre Collingwood in April of this year.

Barrett has been equally busy, starring in Sore Losers, Murder at the Match and Come Down from Up River, as well as directing Shirley Valentine and The Comeback last season.

With just two actors, one pier and one unexpected meeting, Beyond the Sea offers audiences an intimate change of pace: a poignant and witty comedy about new love, human connection and the possibility that life can still surprise us.

Beyond the Sea runs at Globus Theatre from August 19–29, 2026.