AS YOU LIKE IT- Cleveland Street Theatre

The cast of AS YOU LIKE IT

The Shakespeare Centre’s production of William Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ at the Cleveland Street Theatre is a richly entertaining and romantic production of one of the Bard’s great comedies.

The title of this Shakespeare play is very appropriate. The great playwright seems to have decided to put together a play which throws together the ingredients with the greatest appeal to audiences. With director Jason Langley’s vibrant setting of the play in the 1960’s featuring a rich soundtrack of sixties music, this is a vibrant night in the theatre.

The cast revel in this hippie version of ‘As You Like It’. Christy Sullivan’s (as Phebe) early rendition of those famous ‘bars’ from Joni Mitchell’s celebratory song ‘Woodstock’- ‘we are stardust/we are golden/we’ve got to get ourselves back to the garden’- set the tone for the evening.

Arienwen Parkes-Lockwood was a vivacious, luminescent Rosalind. Her energy never flags, even though she is on stage for most of the play, and she eloquently delivers the play’s touching epilogue. As Rosalind’s good companion Celia Celeste Dodwell is a perky presence and shows some deft comic touches. Sam Devenport gives a charming performance as Orlando, the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys, who steals Rosalind’s heart at first glance.

Johann Walraven gave a fine performance as the melancholic, soppy Jacques who effectively delivered one of Shakespeare’s greatest monologues, ‘All the World’s A Stage’. David Hooley shows off a comic, charismatic stage presence as Touchstone and Cat Martin made a great county wench who wins his heart. TJ Power impressed as the show’s guitarist and balladeer.

The show came to a lilting climax with a resounding company rendition of the great Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s song, ‘Love The One You’re With’.

The Shakespeare Centre’s bright production of ‘As You Like It’ plays the Cleveland Street theatre till the 8th May, 2010.

Friday 23rd April, 2010.