AS YOU LIKE IT. To 10 March.
Sheffield/Stratford-upon-Avon
AS YOU LIKE IT
by William Shakespeare
Crucible Theatre To 24 February
Audio-described/BSL Signed 15 Feb
Captioned 22 Feb
Runs 3hr 5min One interval
then Swan Theatre Stratford-upon-Avon 6-10 March 2007
Tue-Sat 7.15pm Mat Sat 1.15pm
TICKETS: 0114 249 6000
www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk (Sheffield
0870 609 1110
www.rsc.org.uk (Stratford)
Review: Timothy Ramsden 8 February
As I Like It? Somewhat.
“All the world’s a stage,” Jacques announces, bounding onto this stage of a world at the start of Samuel West’s production. And all the stage’s a box of toys, with a supersized balloon moon and sun, a wheely colourful goat for Audrey, plus hats growing on stalks in the forest and a swivelling, 2D tree.
This white-disc stage is the world from which Duke Senior is ejected by heavies at the start – something to do with a funeral (people having their exits as well as their entrances). Later, Orlando’s nasty elder brother is similarly chucked out (this time at gunpoint) to find his sibling, by heavies in the pay of horrid Duke Frederick, who is not only trench-coated and dark-glassed, but crippled as well (though why paralysis is a sign of moral turpitude’s unclear).
The other side of this is the huge rear-stage door that opens to inject the ejected into the Forest of Arden. It’s through this too the characters leave, as from a world which, whatever the winter’s bite (in plentiful evidence here), has a healing, protective and always limitable nature.
If “All the world’s…” given prominence, other equally key points are glossed-over. This is a play where “the truest poetry is the most feigning” and where the “counterfeit” of disguise relates the point to human appearances and behaviour. Yet lines about this go for nothing.
West’s production scores strongest with its ex-Court characters. Eve Best’s Rosalind shows the ability for deep affection at sight, while her later “counterfeit” as Ganymede/Rosalind brings the truth about love, its pains and complexities. Beside these, the suddenly love-struck Celia/Aliena’s finely played by Lisa Dillon as a lovely lady of the ordinary world.
With all the wonderstruck Court characters around the deeply-examined Rosalind, love-in-a-hut ruralism comes off less well, though Natalie Grady’s Audrey has a nice way of innocently letting the world go on.
Jacques and, especially, Touchstone are disappointing – I have never seen the ‘7 lies’ scene be received so mirthlessly. Yet Howard Goodall’s music’s a plus, winter balm in ‘Blow blow’ and a bouncingly merry lover and his lass later.
Rosalind: Eve Best
Oliver: Christopher Brandon
Phoebe: Olivia Darnley
Celia: Lisa Dillon
Le Beau/Silvius: Richard Glaves
Adam/Oliver Martext/Hymen: Patrick Godfrey
Audrey/Hisperia: Natalie Grady
Amiens/Jacques de Boys: Drew Mulligan
Touchstone: Harry Peacock
Duke Frederick/Duke Senior: Christopher Ravenscroft
Corin: Christopher Saul
Charles/William: Michael Taibi
Orlando: Sam Trioughton
Jacques: Daniel Weyman
Director: Samuel West
Designer: Katrina Lindsasy
Lighting: Peter Mumford
Sound: Paul Arditti
Music: Howard Goodall
Musical Director: Katie Doherty
Movement: Leah Hausman
Fight arranger: Terry King
Assistant director/movement: Allison Troupo-Jensen
2007-02-19 01:02:44