By Ruth Ross
Forced to postpone
Opening Night of their summer outdoor stage production due to weather
conditions, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey performed
As You Like It, the
Bard’s long, convoluted tale featuring two sets of warring brothers, good folk being
exiled to a forest, and a couple struggling to find true love that contains
some of Shakespeare's most poetical and insightful writing and one of the best
roles for a woman. (Above: the final wedding scene)
The romantic/pastoral
comedy features some of Shakespeare’s tried (and often tired) formulae:
internecine warfare (a good Duke usurped and exiled by an evil younger brother;
a noble younger brother persecuted by his older sibling and forced to flee to
protect his own safety); two women who to seek refuge in a forest—one disguised
as a boy; several instances of love at first sight affecting noble folk as well
as dimwitted shepherds; servants who accompany their noble masters/mistresses;
and the melancholic musings of a dour courtier.
For the most
part, the production succeeds with crisp acting, luscious costumes designed by
Paul Canada, original music by Alexander Sovronsky and lovely scenic design by
Gabby Trice that evokes both ducal palace and the Forest of Arden. However,
while it gets the romance right, the comedy is often lacking.
Romantically
speaking, in the roles of Rosalind and Orlando, respectively, both STNJ veteran
Billie Wyatt and newbie Jose Gamo sparkle. Charming and sympathetic as a young
noblewoman whose father has been deposed and exiled, Wyatt is delightful in the
disguise as Ganymede, especially when she tutors the lovesick Orlando on how to
woo his lady love—herself! There’s enough femininity peeking out from her male
disguise to let the audience feel it is in on the joke! Gamos adorably matches
Wyatt’s performance, particularly when he reads his goofy love poems aloud and attempts
to woo according to Ganymede’s directions. His youthful litheness and energy
are evident as he moves—no, leaps—around the stage.
My
reservations about the production lie, I think, with the performances elicited
by Jemma Alix Levy, an experienced director of Shakespeare making her debut with
this troupe. For one thing, I expected more humor from Matthew Radford Davies as
Touchstone (right), the usurping duke’s court fool, who accompanies Rosalind and her
cousin Celia into the forest and falls head over heels for the country maid
Audrey, played with appropriate dimwittedness by Jennifer Joplin. Despite his
harlequin patterned vest and hat with huge, colorful feathers to mark him as a
comic foil/fool, his “clowning” didn’t elicit much laughter. Indeed, his wooing
of Audrey should be played more broadly in contrast to the mannered, artificial
relationship between Orlando and Rosalind/Ganymede.
Similar
comedy should come from the disconnect between the young folks’ optimistic love
and the dour, dyspeptic observations of Jaques, a courtier of the banished Duke
now residing in the forest. Through his long tenure with STNJ, we have come to
expect outstanding work from Clark Carmichael. Oh, his dour facial expressions
convey his character’s discontent with the world (he
is a Debbie
Downer!), but his crab-like demeanor and acerbic speech needs to be more
pronounced to be amusing—especially during the “All the world’s a stage”
speech.
Finally, the
role of Sir Oliver Martext, the lisping minister Orlando has found to marry him
and Ganymede/Rosalind in the forest, has been edited down to a mere brief
appearance sans any dialogue that would be a cause for laughter.
The rest of
the company does yeoman’s’ duty, each playing multiple roles. Jeffrey M. Bender
mines the wrestler Charles’ role for the comedy he’s well-known for; he matches
the athlete’s belligerence with a solemn equanimity as the exiled Duke Senior.
Christian Frost’s portrayal of Oliver, elder brother of Orlando, is menacing
and dangerous; as William, the rustic lover, he’s simplicity personified. Emily
S. Chang beautifully performs Shakespeare’s lyrics set to Sovronsky’s music bringing
them to life before our eyes! One performance, that of Celia by Brianna
Martinez (below, with Wyatt), bears notice. The role is rather thankless; it involves a great deal
of standing around in support of her cousin Rosaline, but Martinez adorably
makes it her own.
It
has occurred to me that
As You Like It may not be Shakespeare’s greatest—or
funniest—comedy. Court jesters and crabby old men aren’t as funny to modern
audiences as are rustic actors putting on a play in the forest to celebrate a
wedding (
A Midsummer Night’s Dream) or two sets of twins confusing
everyone around them—even the audience (
A Comedy of Errors).
That
said, this production of As You Like It has a lot to recommend it:
talented actors, beautiful scenery and costumes, music, agile youths leaping
around the stage and, most of all, the perfect setting for this pastoral
romance. It will lift your spirits, restore your faith in happiness gained
through love, and enable you to leave the STNJ outdoor amphitheater with a
smile on your face.
As
You Like It will be
performed at the outdoor stage of St. Elizabeth University, off Madison Avenue
in Convent Station through July 14. For information and tickets, call the box
office at 973.408.5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org
online.
