Like most people, I am most familiar with “As You Like It” not for the contents of the play but more for a singular line from Act 2, Scene 7: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” So when I learned that the Not-So-Royal Shakespeare Company was performing it, I decided that I had to go see it. I have never seen a bad show from NSR and am happy to report that I still have yet to see one.
It has everything that you would expect from a Shakespearean comedy: cross-dressing, loads of musical numbers and, of course, a wedding at the end. And though it was not well known to me, I did find it an incredible show. I had to trek up the back of Washington Hall to get to the black box theater, but it was well worth it.
It works incredibly well as a romantic comedy. The physical comedy throughout was wonderful, from the wrestling match at the beginning, to the way in which Orlando (Brennan MacDonald) picks up his older brother Oliver (Lily Brustkern) like a sack of potatoes. The physical elements really elevated a lot of the comedy.
The black box theater is sparsely set, with only three pillars covered in posters for the show and plastic vines dotting the walls all around. Throughout the performance, they fell off the pillars several times, which I found a little distracting, but overall this didn’t really diminish the overall performance. The black box venue allows for a very intimate experience. Most of the asides in the play are delivered a member of the audience. It feels great to get that really close contact with characters, which is not usually available on a larger stage. The more intimate experience also allows a lot of the romances to flourish in an incredible way.
The two lead characters, Rosalind (Sam Rough) and Orlando, have incredible chemistry from the moment they meet. However, Rosalind disguises herself as a man, and at their reunion at the end of the play, you can really see the sparks fly between the two actors. The other romances are also incredible, and the ability to see the expressions on people’s faces so clearly elevates the performances.
I also really enjoyed the costume design. The Forest of Arden is meant to be a very bohemian place, and I really enjoyed how that was interpreted into a very cottage-core vibe. The costumes are chock-full of corduroy pants, cozy sweaters and jewelry and they make the show incredible to watch. It also felt fairly thoughtful that Rosalind’s outfit blends in well with the other people in the forest, while the more naive Orlando looks a bit more like Danny Zuko in a low-budget production of “Grease” (which he still looks amazing in).
I also loved the live band, which performs more modern songs on everything from a violin to a saxophone. Two standout performances are “Jesse’s Girl” right before intermission, with amazing vocals by Lianna Joseph; as well as an amazing performance of David Bowie’s “Life on Mars?” performed by Miriam Rice, who also plays the keyboard and saxophone incredibly well.
If you have some free time this weekend, I would recommend spending some time in “The Forest of Arden” with these incredible actors. The show will run from March 26-29 at the Washington Hall Lab Theatre. Tickets are $5 and available at the LaFortune box office or at the door.
