By Jorgen Hansen
As You Like It, by William Shakespeare, performed at the intimate State 48 Theatre in Mesa, Arizona, provides an evening of talent, true love, not-so-true love, and above all, laughs upon laughs. Written in 1599, As You Like It follows the fortunes of several young men and women who have been ejected from court and driven into the Forest of Arden, where they discover love. The premise, the pastoral setting, and the Gilbert and Sullivan-esqe conclusion all set the stage (yes, pun intended) for a night of laughter and surprises.
The show dropped the audience into an orchard where Orlando de Boys, played by the energetic Cameron Cluff, is complaining to his aged servant, Adam (Judith Connors) about his tyrannical brother, Oliver de Boys (Cameron Hill). At the very outset, the energy of all the performers was evident, perhaps even a little too much, as it became difficult to understand their words, a curse that many Shakespearean productions fall prey to. However, that same energy and speed of delivery permeated the entire show and refused to let it drag. Cluff and Hill’s impressive wrestling scene conveyed the tension between the brothers Orlando and Oliver well, while Connors’ tired, elderly portrayal of Adam contrasted wonderfully with their energy. Later, that same high-quality fight choreography was displayed when Orlando and Charles the Wrestler (Riley Wood) competed for distinction in the paranoid and fiery Duke Frederick’s (Keith Aspinall) court. The lovely, sparkling (quite literally), and articulate Katie Arnold who played Rosalind fell in love with Orlando at first sight. Arnold and Cluff’s first and second encounters after the wrestling match were priceless moments of awkward comedy. Throughout the show, they worked convincingly well together to portray a loving relationship that had me all gooey inside by the final scene.
The charming Kylee Webb, who played Celia, Rosalind’s best friend and cousin, created a wonderful, sassy, sisterly relationship with Arnold. Their well-developed pull and push with each other brought their characters to life as energetic and hilarious heroines. Touchstone (Andrew Lipman) was the hilarious court jester that accompanied Rosalind and Celia into the Forest of Arden. I gladly contributed my own chuckling and sniggering to the laughter of the audience every time he came onstage. Lipman, in addition to being hilarious, made Touchstone’s quips and commentaries easy to understand, a trait also shared by Arnold and Webb. Among the venerable and kindly Duke Senior’s (Harold LeBoyer) forest court, the ever-melancholy Jacques, played by Bryce Dilullo, perfectly portrayed Jacques’s annoyance with the other people he deemed fools. The overall lighthearted feel of the show also demanded that Jacques be portrayed in a less melancholy attitude, to which Dilullo conformed in an admirable manner. One of the stranger parts of this show was when Touchstone was wooing the simpleminded Audrey (Robyn Tye-Lennex). Lipman’s wit and verbosity contrasted well with Tye-Lennex’s portrayal of the vapid and childish Audrey and created the strange and morally uncomfortable situation that I believe Shakespeare wished to create. Tye-Lennex’s voice worked incredibly well with Audrey’s character, who used the perfect amount of girlish giggles to gain her desired effect. India Chudnow played the elderly shepherd Corin with admirable effect, and her past experience with portraying elderly characters showed in the small details she added to every movement and word. Later in the show, when Oliver entered the Forest of Arden, Hill skillfully showed a subtle change as Oliver became a changed man, softer and less hateful. The ensemble of courtiers and forest lords and ladies were wonderful to watch and supported every line with each of their own character’s unspoken stories and personalities.
One might think that a Shakespearean play is doomed to be stuffy and dull, but thanks to the excellent direction by Andrea McFeely and the talented cast and crew, State 48 Theatre brought a lighthearted jolt to this Shakespearean classic. As State 48 Theatre is a small theatre, no mics were needed, but all other sound design was well done by Karli Kemper. Michael Smyth worked his magic with the lights, along with technical director Justin Kemper. The simple, tiered set design by McFeely was excellently used by all the cast members. The lovely 1920s garb and costuming was organized by McFeely and Marla Arnold, with especially excellent choices for Touchstone and Rosalind.
A note about the humor in this show: Several jokes in the show contain innuendos and may not be appropriate for children younger than 13. This show also contains lots of misogynistic commentary and jokes, which is standard for Shakespeare, and those sensitive to such topics may find parts of the show slightly distasteful.
Shakespeare’s As You Like It was presented as a comedy by State 48 Theatre and the cast definitely made it live up to this expectation, with a wide range of entertaining jokes, farces, and surprises that delighted the audience. With a creative and talented cast of characters in an intimate setting, I found an excellent performance and cast that I would “Like” to see again.
State 48 Theatre Presents As You Like It by William Shakespeare.
State 48 Theatre, 943 S Gilbert Rd., Suite 202, Mesa, AZ 85204
August 20-24, 2019, 7:00 PM and August 24, 2019, 3:00 PM
Tickets: $14, All Seats Reserved
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