I don't like this play and didn't particularly like this production. The surreal theme was visually interesting, but I could not find the point of it.
A number of performances stood out - Brent Carver as a very melancholy Jaques; Ben Carlson as Touichstone and Lucy Peacock as Audrey. The lead roles were competently performed but did not capture me enough to remember who played them.
I liked the music and the way it was integrated into the production.
At the seminar Lucy Peacock confided that there was something we should know about Audrey "I have a dog - a Saint Bernard!" It did explain everything.
Des McAnuff directed this production and it was certainly full of his touches and liking for the spectacular, but it did not work for me.
Not only don't I like "As You Like It", I don't think Des McAnuff does either - I think he threw the kitchen sink at it in this production to hide the fact that he really had nothing to say. Hard to believe it is the same director who is responsible for such a great "Tempest".
ReplyDeleteThe annoying thing is, for once I think there was an interesting take on Jaques by Brent Carver, but it got lost (for me) in the Magritte thing.
Oh well, they cannot hit it out of the park every time.