Shakespeare enthusiasts often point to As You Like It as one of the Bard’s best plays, as it contains some of his most lyrical passages within a mix of reflective melancholy and laugh-out-loud comedy. As the title indicates, it was written with all the theatrical ingredients Shakespeare knew his audience liked best.
The classic comedy, which explores themes of love, disguise and the complexities of human nature, is being performed by Atlanta Shakespeare through July 28.
The story unfolds in the court of Duke Frederick and the idyllic Forest of Arden, when Duke Senior is banished by his usurping brother, Duke Frederick. Duke Senior’s daughter, Rosalind, remains at court due to her close friendship with her cousin, Celia. However, after angering her uncle, Rosalind is also banished. In an act of defiance and adventure, she disguises herself as a young man named Ganymede and flees to the Forest of Arden, accompanied by Celia (disguised as a shepherdess named Aliena) and the court jester, Touchstone.
In the forest, they encounter a variety of characters, including the melancholic philosopher Jaques, the lovesick shepherd Silvius, the shepherdess Phebe, and Orlando, a young nobleman who has also fled to the forest to escape his brother’s plots against him.
Through a series of comedic misunderstandings and revelatory conversations, Rosalind, as Ganymede, tests Orlando’s love and orchestrates several romantic unions. The play culminates in multiple weddings and the reconciliation of estranged family members, bringing harmony and joy back to the court and the forest.
Laura Cole directs the production, which stars Gracie Wallace as Rosalind/Ganymede; Kenneth Wigley as Orlando; Tim Colee as Oliver; Kati Grace Kirby as Duke Frederick and Duke Senior; Tyra Watkins as Celia; and Mary Ruth Ralston as Jaques.
For more information, visit shakespearetavern.com.
Photo: Leads in As You Like It at Shakespeare Tavern. Photo courtesy Atlanta Shakespeare
