As You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has been suggested as a possibility.
As You Like It follows its heroine Rosalind as she flees persecution in her uncle's court, accompanied by her cousin Celia to find safety and, eventually, love, in the Forest of Arden. In the forest, they encounter a variety of memorable characters, notably the melancholy traveller Jaques, who speaks many of Shakespeare's most famous speeches (such as "All the world's a stage", "too much of a good thing" and "A fool! A fool! I met a fool in the forest").
Jaques provides a sharp contrast to the other characters in the play, always observing and disputing the hardships of life in the country.
Historically, critical response has varied, with some critics finding the play a work of great merit and some finding it to be of lesser quality than other Shakespearean works.
The play has been adapted for radio, film, and musical theatre.
Summary:
A Duke usurps his brother's land and power, banishing him and his entourage into the forest of Arden. The banished Duke's daughter, Rosalind, remains with her cousin Celia. She has fallen in love with Orlando, but he has his own tyrannical brother with whom to contend, so he joins those in the forest. Rosalind, now banished, disguises herself as a young man, with Celia as her servant, and follows Orlando into the forest.
There, nature stirs love's fires in various rustics as well as in those from the court. Phebe, a shepherdess loved by Silvius, is smitten with the disguised Rosalind. Can true love find a way, and can brothers be reconciled and harmony restored?
The Play:
The production is directed by Christina Keefe, head of the Rice Theatre Program, assisted by Alan Brincks. Keefe’s recent directing credits include Rice’s productions of “She Kills Monsters” and “Proof.” Brincks is a performer and educator who has worked with the Alley Theatre, Main Street Theater, Nebraska Shakespeare Festival and Virginia Stage Company.
Mark Krouskop, lecture and production manager for the Rice Theatre Program, is the set designer for “As You Like It.” Krouskop designed the outdoor set for Rice’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and the raining elevator for “Eurydice.” The costume design is by Heather Breikjern, lecturer and costume shop manager, who recently designed the Dungeons and Dragons-inspired world of “She Kills Monsters.”
The Movie:
Directed By:Paul Czinner
Starring: Laurence Olivier, Elisabeth Bergner, Sophie Stewart
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