As You Like It

Love makes fools of us, according to this visually beautiful, musically stunning and uproariously funny take. Peter Evans’ As You Like It brings out all the caustic wit and wry observation in the text, and then some, and places it in a nostalgic dreamscape with a retro feel.

What makes this production stand out (and it’s possible to do this play badly: the 1936 film with Laurence Olivier is embarrassing by today’s standards) is how director Peter Evans has used subtext brilliantly for comic effect: sometimes the lines are delivered with sheer sarcasm, sometimes reluctantly, but always adding to the meaning and extracting maximum humour from what is already a witty script, while being entirely faithful to the language and intent of the play.

One by one, the characters become ridiculous having locked eyes with the objects of their desire—all except Rosalind, who in spite of falling for Orlando keeps her wit enough to manipulate a (more or less) acceptable ending. Rosalind is played magnificently by Zahra Newman, who was last in Canberra as Amanda in Belvoir’s slightly alarming production of Private Lives. Ms Newman owns this play, making a gutsy and quick-witted Rosalind who is devoted to her cousin Celia, portrayed delightfully by Kelly Peterniti. Rosalind and Celia’s close relationship is immediately recognisable as modern “besties”. These two have a clear rapport and comic scenes between the two are lively and perfectly timed.

Charlie Garber’s Orlando is handsome but gawky and given to hilariously histrionic self-pity—when he kneels in front of Rosalind and Celia to whine that he’s a waste of space, they share a glance and raised eyebrow. In contrast, Gareth Davies plays Touchstone with a caustic sarcasm, and elder statesman John Bell is obviously enjoying himself with the role of Jaques, who famously gets all the best speeches.

Peter Evans directed plays for Bell Shakespeare seem to often have an abstract set centred around one simple but striking focal feature. Julius Caesar was dominated by one tower of scaffolding. A mirrored false ceiling formed a nightmarish backdrop to MacBeth. The Dream replaced the stereotypical lush forest with a fabulous shipwreck hulk. In As You Like It, it’s a forest created with ropes of flowers suspended from an oval grid hung from the ceiling. This made for a mystical setting which was augmented with moody lighting and sound design.

Added to this, the retro styling from the 1950s and 60s costumes and hair, a score that borrowed from boogie woogie, Peggy Lee and big band numbers and use of a scratchy record player made for a dreamy, nostalgic feel. Abi Tucker’s voice, in particular, was warm and rich as she belted out into an old-style chrome covered microphone, but then the closing number proves the entire cast can hold a harmony. The show was every bit as consistent, professional and imaginative as we all expect from Bell Shakespeare.

Cathy Bannister

Images: (top) Zahra Newman and (lower) As You Like It company ®Rush.