Northern Broadsides return with ‘play for our times’, a bold and refreshing gender diverse production of Shakespeare’s most musical and much loved comedy As You Like It.
Marking the company’s first full scale touring production since Quality Street was curtailed by the pandemic in March 2020, this world premiere, featuring a cast of 12 fabulous Northern actors, will be a flambuoyant and joyous return to the stage.
Northern Broadsides staging of As You Like It challenges us to imagine a new future. Capturing the sheer joy of live performance and the crazy power of love to change the world, this intepretation emboldens the timeless themes of love, gender, identity and power in Shakespeare’s original. A visual spectacle, the high value production will be radiantly brought to life with an original set and a high fashion costumes by E.M Parry.
Set in a stylish but stifling court, where the Duke is all powerful and brute strength is championed over basic human decency, the high-spirited Rosalind and devoted cousin Celia are no longer welcome.
When they escape into the forest in disguise, they bump into the recent object of Rosalind’s affection, Orlando, leading to an elaborate game of fluid identity where all the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players.
As the seasons change in this magical place, normal roles dissolve and assumptions are turned on their head in this celebration of the transformative power of love and the natural world, featuring some of Shakespeare’s most vivid characters and memorable poetry.
Theresa Heskins, Artistic Director, New Vic Theatre, said: “It’s so great to be collaborating with our friends at Northern Broadsides once again. We have a long history of working together and I’m so pleased that we are able to continue our relationship as we head into a new year. As You Like It will open the New Vic’s Spring 2022 season and this much-loved comedy will, I think, give audiences a fantastic way to start the new year: a welcome escape into the joy of live performance.”
As You Like It tours 4th February to 2nd July 2022. Tour details and tickets can be found here.
