Review: AS YOU LIKE IT, Barbican Centre

After spending most of the year in its hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, the Royal Shakespeare Company's newest As You Like It kicks off their London Season at the Barbican Centre. Directed by Kimberley Sykes, the production is a delicate and inventive voyage into the Forest of Arden that feels truer than Shakespeare's fictional real world. It never forgets that it's a comedy at heart, and Lucy Phelps' precise physicality plays into the genre. She has Rosalind win the audience's fondness wink by wink, pulling them towards her side through chuckles and playful nudges.

The show almost has a cartoonish slant - both in Stephen Brimson Lewis' set design and direction-wise - that's distinctly more pronounced when the characters are still at the Duke's court, but seeps into small details throughout. Spotlights, as curated by Bretta Gereke (who also designed the refined costumes) open and close as pools of light on stage at the snap of fingers, while the storyline weaves its whimsically romantic plot. Sykes somehow manages to have her scenes constantly simmering even in their tender stillness, whether it's linguistically or with buzzing energy.

She inundates the auditorium with natural light, and the audience seamlessly become part of the action. They turn from confidantes into the forest itself, giving a whole new connotation to "tongues in trees". This envelopment of the crowd makes the asides more alive, and tears down the fourth wall with gentle force. It only takes a movement for Phelps to refocus the tale and have the lights shift to give poignancy to certain moments.

While gender-bending is naturally crucial to the piece, Sykes employs further changes with Silvius becoming Sylvia (Amelia Donkor) and Sophie Stanton taking on the role of Jacques, with the latter incisively altering the dynamics between the discontented lord and Duke Senior. Stanton springs one of Shakespeare's most quotes speeches onto the public, who can only sit and listen rapt as she bemoans human existence. David Ajao's Orlando sprints across the stage excitedly writing poetry on post-it notes, spellbound by Rosalind.

There's a peculiar chemistry running between the two and, from the moment they share a chaste but charged near-kiss at court, Sykes has a longing to see them together in the same scene fall on the space. As expected, Sandy Grierson monopolises the attention as Touchstone. A sequined tank top, checkered punk trousers, booties, and a red furry coat summarise his fool and his sardonic satire and dirty allusions are simply delightful.

Sykes cleverly makes his romantic interest Audrey deaf and has William - who previously tried to marry her - become the interpreter between the two lovers, which sets off a series of hilarious gags besides being a beacon of positive inclusion. The production oozes theatrical magic; it grips the crowd from start to finish, charming them with its intrigue and presenting its sweet love story under dainty lights.

As You Like It runs at the Barbican until 18 January.

Photo by Topher McGrillis

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