'As You Like It' Film Presented In Honor Of Shakespeare's Birthday

The Park Theatre's River Street Theatre (RST) announced that in honor of William Shakespeare's 454th birthday, they will be showing the British film production of As You Like It made in 1936. It will be screened on Monday, April 23 at 7pm.

This rare and early film version of the famed Shakespearean comedy features a very young Laurence Olivier as Orlando and Elisabeth Bergner as Rosalind. Madame Bergner first worked, with heralded success, on the stage in Paris and Berlin, then moved to London and was quickly picked up by the motion picture studios.

The romantic storyline of As You Like It is a series of twists and turns. Rosalind, smitten by Orlando and not able to get his attention, disguises herself as a boy to more easily remain in Orlando's vicinity. Eventually, Orlando grows to like his new friend and Rosalind is stuck playing a boy with a boy with whom she'd rather be a girl. Paul Czinner directs this adaptation which was the first time that As You Like It was adapted for the screen (as a sound film). The film has two interesting pieces of trivia... David Lean, award-winning director of Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge on the River Kwai and Doctor Zhivago, edited As You Like It. Also, J.M. Barrie (author of Peter Pan) co-wrote this screen adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

Tickets for As You Like It are $5.00. More program and schedule information, as well as ticket purchases, can be found at www.riverst.org or by calling the RST Box Office (603) 532-8888. The after-hours box office can be reached by calling OvationTix at (866) 811-4111.

The River Street Theatre is located in downtown Jaffrey, New Hampshire at 6 River Street. The River Street Theatre is sponsored by Grove Street Fiduciary, Coca-Cola, the Board of Trustees of the Park Theatre, Janet S. Grant, Betty Locke, Owen Houghton and the James F. & Fernande Kelly Charitable Trust.