As You Like It review – French aristocratic trappings bring fresh comedy to Arden
A revival of As You Like It at Shakespeare's Globe in London reimagines the play's opening court scenes with the flamboyant costumes and gestures of Versailles under Louis XVI, before characters shed their finery for simpler disguises once they escape to the Forest of Arden. Directed by Sean Holmes and Charlie Josephine, the production prioritises broad comic energy over deeper thematic exploration, delivering strong laughs but sacrificing some emotional intimacy and the play's subversive undertones around gender and same-sex attraction.
Standout performances include Lola Shalam as a charming, commanding Rosalind, Jonnie Broadbent as a scene-stealing Touchstone, and Katherine Pearce delivering a quietly moving rendition of Jaques' "All the world's a stage" speech. Class distinctions are conveyed through accent and costume, with Charlie Josephine's Orlando given an estuary accent to mark his lowly status, though the performance is criticised as flat and lacking chemistry with Rosalind. Paul Wills' set design, featuring whiteboard backdrops that bloom with drawn foliage, and Katie Richardson's folk-inspired music help bring Arden to life. The show runs at Shakespeare's Globe until 25 October.
- Globe's As You Like It gives the court a Versailles-style makeover
- Comedy triumphs, but emotional depth and subversive themes are diminished
- Lola Shalam praised as a standout Rosalind; runs until 25 October
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Rosalind escapes the intrigues of her uncle's court by fleeing into the Forest of Arden, where she disguises herself as a young man to survive and, along the way, tests the affections of Orlando, the man she loves. Shakespeare's comedy is one of his best-loved works, prized for its wit, its playful treatment of gender and disguise, and speeches such as "All the world's a stage."
This new staging comes from Shakespeare's Globe in London, a reconstruction of the open-air theatre where Shakespeare's plays were originally performed, and is directed by Sean Holmes and Charlie Josephine. It sets the court scenes in the ornate style of the French royal court under Louis XVI, before the characters shed those trappings once they reach the forest.
The production matters chiefly as a piece of theatre criticism and cultural interest: a well-known classic given a fresh visual concept, with a notable cast including Lola Shalam as Rosalind, and staging and music that aim to conjure the forest setting on stage. It runs at Shakespeare's Globe until 25 October.