As You Like It
From: Friday, 18th February 2011
To: Saturday, 26 March 2011
Our Review: 
Your Reviews:
Search for tickets
Use the link below to search for As You Like It tickets on your desired date.
We're sorry, it seems that we do not currently sell tickets for this show. Please go directly to the box office.
| Tweet |
|
Synopsis
Written around 1600 and set in two contrasting communities; city and forest. Rosalind and Celia have been banished from Court. In fear of their lives, they disguise themselves and seek sanctuary in the Forest of Arden. Amongst the magical and ancient boughs, Rosalind discovers her exiled father, uncovers various truths about herself and others...and falls helplessly in love. But in this earthly paradise nothing is quite what it seems: men do not always act like men, and women can be anything at all...Uplifting, awe-inspiring and immense fun, Shakespeare's wondrous comedy is a joyous celebration of the liberating power of love and the redeeming spirit of nature.
Our Review:
25 February 2011
The most arresting image in Stephen Unwin's production of Shakespeare's rural comedy is a giant mound of earth, like a giant dunghill. While it makes sense in the Forest of Arden, Jonathan Fensom's design looks slightly out of place in the Duke's court – although it does serve as a suitable hiding place for Rosalind and Celia in the latter half of the play.
Unwin's production is fast-paced – too fast paced at times. Both Georgina Rich's Rosalind and David Sturzaker's Orlando take some of the speeches far too quickly - particularly in the first-half of the play but this does portray some of the heady joys of a first romance. What's often glossed over is that these are young lovers – Orlando's elder brother is still at school – and Rich and Sturzaker both capture the joys of first teenage romance. Rich, in particular, grows more into her role as if captivated by all the possibilities of love.
What's missing though is the sexual ambiguity ...
Latest User Review
vera - 25 February 2011:
I agree about the seuxal ambiguity and the rushed speeches. I saw the production in early preview. I thought Adrian Lukis's Melancholy Jacques was a stand-out performance, and he brought tears to my eyes with the Seven Ages speech. Very disappointed with Michael Feast, whose performance seemed technical and smart-alec-y. His mugging Audrey seemed to be in a different production from, for example, Georgina Rich's low-key Rosalind. Agree, Paul Shelley's verse-speaking was exemplary. Didn't mind the mound of earth, but did find the set a bit autumnal, given that the play's all about rebirth....
Creative
Shakespeare (Author)
Rose Theatre (Producer)
Stephen Unwin (Director)
Related Whatsonstage.com Articles
Information
|
