Sunday evening at Michigan Theater there was a screening of the National Theater Live presenting Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”. One of Shakespeare’s comedies, Polly Findlay directed a dynamic, innovative, and truly enjoyable rendition of this classic, supported by a talented cast.
Rosalie Craig starred in the title role of Rosalind (funny how that worked out) and was by turns both a woman seeking to be free and a humorous youth; showcasing not just her stunning versatility but also the full depth of Rosalind’s character. Craig and Patsy Ferran, who played the subtler Celia, had an intimate and pure friendship that really was the heart of the show. While Celia deciding to run away to the forest with Rosalind is always a pivotal scene of the show, the humor and devotion each imbued their characters with made Celia’s declaration one of my favorite moments. Ferran’s Celia found amusement at every turn and her loyalty was so admirable that one didn’t wonder how Oliver fell in love with her at a glance.
Orlando was played by Joe Bannister, who was awkward, earnest, and adorably well meaning. Orlando always comes off the less strong minded in comparison to Rosalind (especially Craig’s energetic performance), but the quirky sweetness of Bannister’s Orlando complimented his franker counterpart. He made me love him as much as
Rosalind.
Fra Fee, who studied at the Royal Academy of Music, played Amiens and could he sing! “As You Like It” has lyrics written into it, but with Fee at the head they expanded this aspect of the show. His performance was stunning and he just about stopped the show with his powerhouse voice; the only thing that came close to dropping the audience’s jaws more was the spectacular scene change as the characters entered the forest.
While the show started in a corporate office setting, equating the royalty of Shakespeare’s time to today’s big business tycoons, once the daughters decide (or are exiled) to leave, the office started to rise. It began with the ceiling which rose, and then took everything with it: chairs, lamps, and desks were strung together, as the carpet pulled back to reveal a forest floor. And the forest’s trees were the office setting itself. The lighting then created dappling through this modern industrialized forest, reminding audience members simultaneously of nature and standing on the edge of civilization, the place where nature and city meet. In the “trees” ensemble member sat in chairs, often suspended over the stage, and made the sounds of the forests. It was a really neat touch and added an air of authenticity. Not only were actors birds, but during the scene where the Touchstone and Corin are discussing their differing views, the rest of the cast came on as the sheep of Corin’s flock. Dressed in khakis and white wool sweaters, crawling on their knees, it was so funny to watch as these two characters debated. This scene is just one example of a series of great creatively innovative moments that characterized this production, making for a wonderful evening!
