THEATRE
By William Shakespeare
At Southbank Theatre, MTC unitl 18 Dec 2021
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: ***1/2
This review published only on this blog. KH
James Mackay, Georgia Flood, Christie Whelan Browne
Welcome back, Melbourne theatre! We’re back in venues and shows are coming thick and fast in this festive season. Get thee to a theatre!
The MTC leaps out of the blocks with Simon Phillips’ lavish production of As You Like It which captures the playful strangeness of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy with a nod to its more introspective and philosophical moments.
The production looks glorious with an evocative design (Alicia Clements) that counterbalances the soaring pillars of a palace with the lush green and floral slopes of the magical Forest of Arden – sans woodland trees.
The show begins with faithful, old Adam (Richard Piper) and Orlando (James Mackay) crouched planting seedlings in the (fake) turf at the lip of the stage. The first half gallops along gleefully but the production stalls after interval when the novelty of the design and the cheery liveliness of the characters start to wear thin.
Musical interludes (music by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall) are welcome in the first half, but there are too many tunes in the second half and snatching songs from other Shakespeare plays seems unnecessary.
There are some delightful performances, particularly Piper’s Adam. Christie Whelan Browne is perky and playful as Rosalind, the young woman who cross-dresses as a boy and is giddy with love. Mackay plays Rosalind’s beloved Orlando as a romantic, naïve lad who is easily duped by Rosalind’s cross-dressing.
Despite feeling overly long, this is a diverting and visually compelling production.
by Kate Herbert
Cast
Phebe / As cast Natalie Abbott
Silvius / Band / As cast Laurence Boxhall
Celia Georgia Flood
Touchstone Daniel Frederiksen
Jaques de Boys / Band / As cast Jack Green
Audrey / Band / As cast Xani Kolac
Orlando James Mackay
Adam / Corin / Band Richard Piper
Oliver / Amiens Chris Ryan
Charles the Wrestler / William / Band / As cast Richard Sergeant
Jaques / Le Beau Tim Walter
Rosalind Christie Whelan Browne
Duke Frederick / Duke Senior / Band / As cast Shivantha Wijesinha
Creative Team
Director Simon Phillips
Set & Costume Designer Alicia Clements
Lighting Designer Nick Schlieper
Composers Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall
Musical Director & Additional Composition Ian McDonald
Associate Costume Designer John Van Gastel
Associate Lighting Designer Tom Willis
Assistant Director Tim Paige
Intimacy Coordinator Amy Cater
Fight Choreographer Lyndall Grant
Choreographer Andrew Hallsworth
Stage Manager Christine Bennett
Deputy Stage Manager Lisette Drew
Assistant Stage Manager Meg Richardson
Production Photography Jeff Busby
Rehearsal Photography Charlie Kinross
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