Review: AS YOU LIKE IT at the Stratford Festival is a Fun Night at the Theatre

AS YOU LIKE IT opened on Friday at the Stratford Festival's Festival Theatre with a party...a literal party. Director, Jillian Keiley has set this production in her native Newfoundland, and as such, the play starts and finishes with the actors dancing about the stage and in the aisles whilst an on-stage band plays East-Coast inspired music. In addition to being given the East-Coast treatment, the production is also set in the 1980's-and I must say that the costumes are the bombdigitty!

Along with setting this production in a new time and location, Keiley has also created a show that requires a significant amount of audience participation. Everyone is given a gift bag of sorts as they enter the theatre and some audience members are also given additional props once they are seated. With the guidance of Hymen, the God of Marriage (played by Robin Hutton), the audience utilizes these different props at key moments throughout the play. The audience buy-in was strong on the opening night of the production, and the exercise was well explained and well facilitated by Ms. Hutton and the rest of the company.

Although the 80's costumes and Newfoundland accents were a delightful twist, there did seem to be an initial disconnect between the tone of jovial dancing and partying that took place as the audience was taking its seats, and the play opening with what felt like the most serious and somber scene of the entire evening. The production quickly eased itself back into more lighthearted and comedic fare, however; and for the rest of the production, the tone and the setting were very much congruent with one another. This bold choice will certainly not be for everyone; however, it is a clever way to capture the attention of new audiences who may have previously only ever experienced Shakespearean comedy by reading a play in their high school classroom. Similarly, audiences who have seen this play performed numerous times before, will now get to see a very fresh new take on it.

It seems very appropriate, and almost necessary that both the director and one of the leads (Petrina Bromley) in this East-Coast re-imagining of AS YOU LIKE IT are true Newfoundlanders. Ms. Bromley makes her Stratford debut as our heroine, Rosalind-the clever and kind exiled niece of Duke Frederick--who has usurped her father's thrown. While in exile, Rosalind decides to disguise herself as a man and, while in disguise, takes the opportunity to tutor her love interest, Orlando, on how he should treat the woman he loves (her). Ms. Bromley portrays Rosalind as thoughtful and independent, yet playful. Her romance with Cyrus Lane's Orlando is fun to watch. The two make a great pair. Mr. Lane is also excellent-demonstrating both a flare for Shakespeare's comedy, as well as some delightful wrestling skills!

This play was well cast. The role of Jaques is female in this production and Seana McKenna is excellent as the melancholic observer who delivers some of Shakespeare's most famous speeches. Jamie Mac and Ijeoma Emesowum charm as Silvius and Phebe, respectively. Silvius is a shepherd who is hopelessly in love, and Phebe is the subject of his affection who repeatedly, (and rather brutally) rebukes him. Trish Lindstrom is fantastic as Rosalind's cousin, Celia, who joins her in exile. She plays her as devoted and excitable, and not particularly in her comfort zone in the woods where most of the play takes place. This writer has never felt more anxiety than I did when watching Lindstrom's Celia attempt to chop wood!

An important element to this production is that it is incredibly self-aware. This is no more apparent than in Rosalind's epilogue in which the character goes 'off-script' a few times-first, to literally tell us that she recognizes this show may not be for everyone. She then transitions into the "If we spirits have offended" line from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, only to end with a riff on the final speech from ROMEO AND JULIET. This show knows exactly what it is, and the company appears to have a riot doing it. It is a great night out for audience members who are looking to brush up on their Shakespeare, roll up their sleeves and get involved, and not take things too seriously while doing it. There is also the added bonus of incredible live music performed by on-stage musicians Graham Hargrove, Keelan Purchase, Dan Stacey, and Kyle Wayworth.

Overall, AS YOU LIKE IT was a fun night at the theatre!

AS YOU LIKE IT continues in Repertory at the Festival Theatre through to October 22.

Photo Credit: David Hou

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