You’ll laugh, you’ll sigh, you’ll sing (seriously) and you’ll have a blast with this engaging new take on a fun Shakespearian comedy.
Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan’s (SOTS) production of As You Like It is the third of three shows to come to the stage at this year’s festival with the opening on Saturday night, and if we’re going by sheer entertainment value they saved the best for last — even if it’s the least traditionally Shakespeare-y of all three shows, as well.
As You Like It follows the journey of Rosalind (Camille Legg), who falls in love at first sight with the virtuous young Orlando (Jordan Harvey). When both end up banished and living in the countryside, Rosalind takes on the disguise of a young man named Ganymede. and convinces the unsuspecting Orlando to prove his love for Rosalind by practicing his wooing on Ganymede.
Director Jamie King’s production also put a spin on Shakespeare’s recurring “woman-disguises-herself-as-a-man” bit by playing Rosalind as non-binary. It’s an excellent idea that adds layers of depth to the show, let down only by the fact there are limited moments available in the script to play into the concept. If someone seeing the show didn’t have knowledge of the director’s vision before going in, it wouldn’t have been obvious.
But if there was ever a Shakespeare show to convince doubters that modern Shakespeare can be fun and exciting for the whole family, SOTS’ version of As You Like It is it. It’s a show tailor-made for the most ridiculous of hijinks, with the clashing of cultures and elaborate love triangles borne from mistaken identities. King does brilliant work layering in as many laugh-out-loud moments as the script could allow, bolstered by a great cast from top to bottom.
It’s not a “typical” Shakespeare experience, even by SOTS standards. And in this case, atypical wins out. The same sort of contemporary comedic outbursts and quirky line additions that felt out of place in SOTS’ Romeo and Juliet work like a charm in this comedy. It helps that the court jester Touchstone (Katie Moore) broke through the fourth wall just as often as not and was responsible for many of the quips, making them seem more at home when they came from the comic-relief character.
It’s always a treat when the leading characters stand out among a group of standout performances, and Legg and Harvey were perfect for their roles. Legg shines in a nuanced performance as Rosalind, who is as much on a journey of self-discovery as one of love. They make the character feel as real as someone you might walk into on the street, a combination of both thoughtful and light-hearted that grounds the rest of the ludicrous show.
Harvey paired well with Legg, giving us a very earnest and heartfelt portrayal as the honour-bound and lovelorn Orlando. He has an unteachable presence that draws your eye whenever he slips into a scene.
That’s not to say the rest of the cast wasn’t spectacular. A special round of applause has to go to Kristel Harder, whose vocal chops were on full display as she led audience sing-alongs and sang a few pieces throughout the story — and her charisma in a variety of roles makes it hard not to wish there was a bigger spot for her to show off her acting chops as well. Harder was also featured as a singer in Romeo and Juliet (and in SOTS shows of years past), and it’s always a treat.
The show had a few hiccups. Some of Moore’s audience work as Touchstone was distracting when it overlapped with lines being delivered onstage, and there were instances where comedic hijinks seemed like they were covering for parts of the script. The audience deserved a bit more credit that they understand and care about what’s happening without needing every spare moment to be a joke.
The musical interludes, while masterfully led by Harder, also add little to the production. They might be a fun way to get the audience involved, but it’s also extremely obvious that Harder is the easily the most comfortable of all the actors when it comes to singing.
If you’re going to As You Like It to see traditional Shakespeare, or because you’re a fan of the original, it might take you a minute to adjust. If you’re going because you love good, fun theatre and a night out, this show is going to be exactly what you’re looking for. It’s not the most faithful recreation of a Shakespearian script, but the changes open up the quick-witted comedy for those who are new to the experience of The Bard’s work.
And it’s a comedy. Traditional or not, you won’t be able to help but laugh.
As You Like It runs at Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan until August 19th. More information can be found at shakespearesask.com.
