As You Like It expertly draws laughs [A]

By Joshua Kee     2/26/14 9:21am

Shakespeare plays encourage creative interpretation, and the Actors from the London Stage certainly make full use of artistic license in their rendition of As You Like It.

Shakespeare plays encourage creative interpretation, and the Actors from the London Stage certainly make full use of artistic license in their rendition of As You Like It.  Foreign actors performing a foreign play? What’s not to love? As You Like It tells the story of eight individuals in the banished court, six members in the actual court, eight countrymen, a wrestler and a god, along with cases of multiple identity and the musicians. The Actors from the London Stage, English players who tour around America, endeavor to put on this complex narration using only five players, a task they perform marvelously.  The actors easily weave the tale of the four couples through banishment and turmoil without blinking an eye.  

The acting is the true selling point of this play.  The actors and actresses keep up a brisk dialogue throughout the entire show — watching each tease, flirt and cajole across the stage is a joy in and of itself. Each character is completely distinct, a result of the hard work and dedication it takes to develop mannerisms and voices for each of the parts. I was rarely confused as to who was who, and if I was, the answer became clear within moments. 

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For so few individuals to represent so many characters requires a degree of set up. Thus, the first few minutes of the play involve a series of rapid-fire “costume” changes as the characters introduce themselves using whatever props, voices and postures will be used to portray that role. Of course, one would think such a parade of the same five people would be confusing to an inexperienced viewer, yet the brief introductions provide a groundwork off of which even I, who had never seen the play before, could readily identify each of the characters as they entered the stage. 

The stage itself is a simple setup, with eight chairs scattered in two lines, forming the wings of the stage. Instead of completely leaving the stage, the players remove themselves from the scene by putting aside their props and sitting down in the wings. Centered at the back of the stage, a single hat rack provides the focal point for all of the props the players needed. Similar to the stage and props, the costumes are distinctive, and the audience members can easily differentiate actors from a distance. At the same time, the clothes are simple, functioning as a blank slate on which the players can paint their characters using different props and mannerisms.  

The actors have obviously considered how to differentiate each of their roles; however, the director also deserves praise for casting the characters in the first place. For the most part, characters played by the same actor do not appear onstage at the same time. When they do, though, the effect is endearing. Players often resort to humorously holding up props to signify certain characters; however, a few scenes involve actors playing and even fighting against themselves as they embody two different characters at the same time, sending the audience into peals of laughter. 

I was rather surprised at the inclusion of music in the play. Each of the players possesses a remarkably good voice and showcases it frequently in the show. While Shakespeare often incorporated music into his works, keeping the songs in the play must have required a tremendous amount of effort and demonstrates once again the high tier of ability involved.

I did have one slight problem with the production, however. The players keep the pace rapid, even when the audience is laughing. At times, I could not entirely hear what was being said as the actors and actresses proceeded on to the next scene without letting the laughter quite die down. While I completely understand the desire to keep a scene live and fast-paced, the result sadly left me unable to hear the next exchanges between characters. 

Regardless, the production is a triumphant success, powerfully demonstrating the ability of five people to put on a complete and enjoyable Shakespeare play.

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