The Rep’s highly lauded Artistic Director Rick Lombardo took
directing
”
As You Like It
”
with loving detailed care.
The Rep’s highly lauded Artistic Director Rick Lombardo took directing “As You Like It” with loving detailed care. This is an original, rare take on this often produced story. Some will adore it, and some will not. But either way, it is creatively well done and an exceptional piece of theater.
Banishment, deceit, cross-dressing, lies and love are all a part of this comedy – one of the 39 plays the Bard wrote. Shakespeare based “As You Like It” on English poet and prose writer Thomas Lodge’s novel “Rosalynde.” He changed some names but kept the basic outline.
Many of the Bard’s most well known lines are in “As You like It”. We are most familiar with: “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players”.
Shakespeare knew how to entertain with his words in “As You Like It.” The play is surprisingly not one of his favorites, but it was the favorite of the public in the 1600s.
The cast is perfect and delivers almost faultless performances, many covering dual roles. Anna Bullard, (a Rep regular) is glorious as Rosalind and shines as usual as in any role I have ever seen her play. James Carpenter’s fragile Adam, the faithful servant’s “Seven Ages Of Man” offering is superbly intense and one of the evening’s best moments.
Steve Irish plays Touchstone. His timing is flawless and boarders on burlesque and slapstick comedy, but he makes it work. Jeanette Penley’s redneck take on Phebe was a hoot, and if you keep an eye on her, (which is difficult to do with everything else going on) she is really fun to watch.
Media and scenic designer David Lee Cuthbert cleverly uses multi-media magic to transport us wherever we are to be at the moment with a minimum of scenery and props in the first act. Costume designer B. Modern dresses some of the characters in some of the most outlandish attire to blend with the individual’s role.
Lombardo dips into the 21st century with iPods, cell phones cleverly slid in for seconds into an already convoluted plot that altogether was a bit too long.
Flashes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bill Clinton, and Richard Nixon spew out so quickly that if you are not paying attention you will miss the moment. Yes this is Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” well done and exclusively different and definitely a distinctive experience.
Camille Bounds is the arts and entertainment editor for the Western Division of Sunrise Publications.
