As You Like It
No resources here except a lot of talent and Shakespeare. Spark, a company who clearly love what they’re doing, give us Shakespeare’s comedy of the sexes (not ‘sex comedy’) in a concrete floored old garage or workshop off a lane in Brunswick. It’s chilly and the seats are hard. No wings, no flies. No theatrical lights – the lights here are pretty much on or off. Some imagination has gone into the costumes (design by Jaz Tweedale and Cassandra Storm), but almost no money, and the music consists of a ‘Jew’s’ harp and a small tambour played live at the rear (musical direction by Kristina Benton). ‘Brunswick Arts Space’ may sound a rather grand venue – a municipal nod to the Arts - but in fact this space could not be more basic.
Let not any of this be a deterrent. Shakespeare’s own The Globe had not much more and the Spark company delivers a delightful night of playful, witty theatre. How do they do this? Firstly, director Perri Cummings’ unobtrusive, no gimmicks direction. Second, by understanding Shakespeare’s text and not grandiloquently spouting it – or worse, naturalistically mumbling it. This production displays more clarity as to Shakespeare’s words and intentions than a number of Bell Shakespeare interpretations I have endured. These people not only understand what they’re saying – and mostly say it clearly, so that we can understand it too - they trust the text. Well, they have to. See above.
As You Like It is one of Shakespeare’s forays into the forest – that is, Nature, where anything, including magic - and failure to recognise the very person with whom you fell in love just hours previously – can happen. And then it is also a place of refuge where a good duke and a few faithful retainers can hide out from the bad duke. It is peopled otherwise by generous but ill-tutored rustics – that is, shepherds who have romantic problems of their own. The plot is so contrived that it creaks, but Shakespeare’s interest is in the four romantic relationships and the plot is merely a device to get to them and a clamp to keep the characters in the forest.
The centerpiece, of course, is that fugitive Orlando falls in love (in an instant) with Rosalind, who falls in love with him, but moments later is a fugitive herself, disguised as a man and fleeing into the same forest in which, yes, Orlando seeks refuge. Orlando meets Rosalind, now called ‘Ganymede’, does not recognise her, but is somehow mysteriously drawn to ‘him’ and confides his abiding love for Rosalind. ‘Ganymede’ promises to cure Orlando of his affliction: he must pretend that Ganymede is Rosalind and woo her/him… Meanwhile, shepherdess Phoebe disdains shepherd Sylvius and falls for Ganymede… Shakespeare enjoys these gender-bending games, the thrust of which seems to be that ‘love is love’ and attraction of one to another bypasses gender roles (cf. Twelfth Night).
To push that a little further, in this production, Touchstone, the court jester, is played by the show’s director, Perri Cummings - and Touchstone, as a woman, falls in love with shepherdess Audrey (a goofy and boisterous Jennifer Monk). Kristina Benton takes the role of Jacques, philosopher and the good duke’s companion. Ms Benton plays Jacques in a green organza frock and bare feet. We could ask why. The point is, I guess, why shouldn’t Jacques be a woman? Why not? Impeccable intentions happily granted, these casting decisions might feel imposed on the text and be a distraction to those who know the play and expect a male jester and a male curmudgeon Jacques - although Ms Cummings and Ms Benton are both relaxed and engaging in what they do – and Ms Benton sings quite beautifully as well.
That said, it’s great to see fourteen cast troop onto the playing space to begin the show – but then, if no one’s being paid, why not? The cast is strong even if not all are confident yet or entirely at home with the language. Sarah Brett as Celia begins uncertainly, but gains confidence as the evening goes on until she is natural and sweet. Wendy Bos as Rosalind is wonderfully clear and displays all the intelligence Shakespeare gives Rosalind, but could perhaps loosen up and enjoy the comedy and sexual ambiguity a little more, both with Orlando and with the coldly determined Phoebe (Katherine Innes).
Ben Noble as Duke Senior (the good duke) has a loveable presence, but lets himself down with bluster. One standout is Michael Wahr as a spunky Orlando; the romantic passions, the naïve sincerity, the rages and the goodness are all convincing. Another is James Gand-Hunt as shepherd and spurned lover Sylvius: nicely judged physical comedy plus perfect comic timing. He too should have a future.
Yet again, I’m made aware of the great reservoirs of talent in this city, working for the love of it, for the hell of it, undeservedly unknown, in all manner of unheated and inappropriate spaces to create theatre. Thank you, Spark, for this engaging, funny and brave, almost unadorned As You Like It.
Michael Brindley
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