4 STARS
As You Like It is a play I had never come across before going to see the Nottingham New Theatre production this evening. The thought of going to see a Shakespeare play of which you know nothing about is pretty daunting, especially with an unenthusiastic boyfriend in toe. Yet this performance left me pleasantly surprised and with a new found appreciation for the play. Even as an English student Shakespeare is sometimes difficult to understand through the wall of wherefore’s and thou’s, but through the skill of the actors in the performance this confusion was lost. Instead within the audience we were left with the funny and touching story of many mixed up love affairs.
Even though all the actors handled the language of the play really well I think special attention should be given to the actresses playing Rosalind (Grace Williams) and her cousin Celia (Daniella Finch). The two worked so well together on stage and really gave off the impression that they had a real relationship. I actually found the witty scenes between the two girls funnier than the more obviously comedic moments, and they really bought the characters into a story that was relatable to me.
It wasn’t only the actors that made this production so watchable, as the music and physical decoration of the stage were also very impressive. The music fitted extremely well with the events and I would go so far as to say it really moved the play along and was a key feature in its success! Strings of fairy lights, roses and bunting decorated the stage (need I say anymore) and this helped create the almost magical atmosphere of the forest in which the play was set.
At only £5 a ticket for students this performance is definitely recommendable! It’s not often that going to the theatre is so accessible and I would definitely encourage anyone to go and see this play, even if you think you won’t understand the Shakespeare! Performances run until the 10th of December and more information can be found at http://newtheatre.org.uk/whats-on/