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AS YOU LIKE IT There’s a definite beauty in seeing a production by the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble. Just the name of the outfit is comforting; you won’t catch them diversifying with of a bit of ol’ Doc Johnson or commissioning a piece of the demasculinisation of the modern male. It’s all Shakespeare, all the time baby! That knowledge alone is enough to know that you and the Bard are in safe hands. A well-loved Shakespearean comedy, on the page the synopsis of As You Like It weaves a tangle of gender-bending identities, exiled nobility, and love at first sight. At the heart of the story, Rosalind and Orlando, having met briefly, are infatuated with each other and in separate instances become exiled to the Forest of Arden. For sport Rosalind disguises herself as a lad, Ganymede, and befriends Orlando, unwittingly becoming the object of affection of a local girl. In addition to this, the play has more plots than a cemetery, and going in blind is not recommended. However, the brilliant thing about Shakespeare is that when performed by actors who properly understand the work, you’re never lost. It’s a bit of a thrill after witnessing many modern texts ply the viewer with expository dialogue only to implode due to gaping holes in logic. Performances here are generally outstanding; Rob Pensalfini’s comic timing, as courtly clown Touchstone, deserves special mention as does Ruby Drewery’s Ganymede, a Frank Woodley-esque creation that makes Drewery’s slender frame seem as gangly an orangutan. The stage design is minimal but the woody smells and greenery of Roma St Parklands make you feel like you’re in the forest with these eccentric folk. This production is a romantic way to spend the evening because you just fall in love with Shakespeare all over again. COLIN HANLON At Roma Street Parkland, weekends until Sunday Nov 1; see www.qldshakespeare.org for times and dates. |
