As You Like It is a famous comedy by William Shakespeare. It conveys a story portraying love and disguise and was performed at the Royal Shakespear Company’s Courtyard Theatre in Stratford pon Avon. The performance was captured and is available to view online on Digital Theatre Plus.
Written By Weon Taek Na
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic limiting offline viewing of performances, the captured performance of As You Like It felt as real as live viewing. The camera team has done an excellent work to make the experience as rich as possible. Furthermore, the occasional closeups of the camera allowed as to view the expressions of the performers; an experience not possible in live viewing of performances.
In the story of As You Like It, Sir Rowland De Bois has 3 sons. Sir Rowland hopes that the eldest among the sons is responsible enough to take care of his two little brothers upon his death. However, the eldest, Olive, turns out to have the opposite traits that Sir Rowland wishes; Olive is rude and mean. Olive restricts his little brother, Orlando’s freedom and furthermore education. Moreover, Olive schemes a wrestling battle between Orlando and Charles, a royal wrestler to monopolize the heritage that Sir Rowland left to his sons.
On the other hand, Duke Frederick exiles his older brother, Duke Senior, and usurps his duchy. However, Celia, Duke Frederick’s daughter, enjoys a healthy friendship with Rosalind, Duke Senior’s daughter. During these harsh times, Rosalind and Orlando fall in love and go through hardships the for their love.
Unlike traditional dramas, As You Like It is filled with contemporary comedy elements which enrich the experience of the performance. With witty contemporary comedy enriching the strong performance given by the actors and actresses, the play, As You Like It, was a sensational play to watch. You can also enjoy the experience, or moreover other Shakespeare productions on Digital Theatre Plus. Enjoy and stay safe!
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