As You Like It: William Shakespeare

RSC: Main House, Stratford Upon Avon

Runs: 2h 45m(David check from prog) including one interval, till xxx

5*****

Reviewed: Audio described 20 July, 2023

Reviewer: Roderick Dungate.

A clever idea reveals the play in a gentle and moving performance.

There is a brilliant idea behind this production. A group of actors who performed this play 45 years ago get together in a rehearsal room to recreate the production from memory; the actors now are all in their senior years. The production, stunningly performed, is, for reasons I do not quite understand, incredibly moving, in a way I have never experienced the play before. Is it a sense of nostalgia? The power of memory? Both, probably, plus, without any doubt, the grace and ease of the performances; we are bathed in great acting. The pace is measured, no hurry, no shouting, time to thoroughly savour each moment, as if (to quote Ben Jonson) at a great feast.

Geraldine James and Malcolm Sinclair as Rosalind and Orlando combine the ups and downs of love with a wry humour which renders the characters incredibly attractive. Oliver Cotton’s, Jaques is superbly understated so that the ‘ages of man’ appears genuinely newly minted. James Hayes’ Touchstone is a delight; jest enough improvised direct address to keep us amused but never too much to become self-regarding. His improvised scene with his sheep is hilarious, again, wonderfully controlled so that we wish it went on a bit longer.

There is a host of endearing characters in this play – Corin, Audrey, Silvius, Phoebe among them. They all, with great charm, bring their gifts to the party. Maureen Beattie as Celia is a sensitive and skilled accompanist to Geraldine James.

There are four young actors in the company; their youth is emphasised, and their generous performances do much to shine the bright light on the older performers to great effect.

Rosalind’s epilogue to Like It is quite well known and almost always performed lending the play an elegant full-stop. Is it sensitively rewritten in this production so that it puts the entire production into context while retaining the elegance of its full-stop.

Omar Elerian has brought the whole together in this warm, gently glowing, production.

Fabulous.

Cast

Phoebe – Celia Bannerman

Oliver – Michael Bertenshaw

Celia – Maureen Beattie

Amiens/Jaqcues de Bois/Lord/Player – Hannah Bristow

Jaques – Oliver Cotton

Silvus – David Fielder

Touchstone – James Hayes

Rosalind – Geraldine James

Adam/Lord/Player – Mogali Masuku

Corin – David Silby

Orlando – Malcolm Sinclair

Duke Senior/Duje Frederick – Robin Soans

Audrey – Cleo Sylvestre

Charles the Wrestler/William – Ewart James Walters

Le Beau/Lord/Player – Rose Wardlaw

Creatives

Director – Omar Elerian

Designer – Ana Ines Jabares-Pita

Lighting Designer – Jackie Shemesh

Composer – Will Gregory

Sound Designer – Elana Pena