Folger’s ‘As You Like It’ Delights with a Lively, Modern Touch
Karen Ann Daniels’ intimate, interactive take on Shakespeare’s rom-com is powered by standout turns from Tsilala Brock and Manu Kumasi.
Set in the not-quite-literal shadow of the Capitol, the Folger’s young and zingy As You Like It delivers Shakespeare’s rom-com amid the people of D.C., not the politicians. It’s a pointed nod to the fact that Washington may be the nation’s capital, but it’s also a living, breathing city with its own microcosm of love, lives, and family hierarchies.
Artistic director Karen Ann Daniels’ vision, directed by Timothy Douglas, delivers the kind of intimate, gently interactive theater that pairs so well with the Folger space, one that says, “Come right in, this is for you.”
Even better is the team’s decision to go full-bore classical and keep the adaptation cute but judicious. There is no question this is set in today’s world with scenic designer Gisela Estrada’s painted city murals and Celeste Jennings’ costuming, but this is Shakespeare without compromise, and it deeply respects its audience.
All that happily said, As You Like It is not the easiest play, what with its multiple characters, romances that arrive at the speed of instant pot-noodles, and the primary love-match rattled by a distinctly weird beguilement in disguise. Put plainly, on what planet does it make sense that young hero Orlando is so readily enchanted by young man Ganymede, who is, in fact, Rosalind in disguise, who is Orlando’s “I’d-die-for-you” love interest?
Of course, looking at it in its historical context, we may never know what the Bard (and presumably his audience) found appealing in this improbable folly but whatever it was it was doubly so: in Shakespeare’s day, Rosalind would have been played by a man who would then have been disguising himself as a man — resulting in another man falling in love with someone everyone in the audience already knew was a man. Definitely one for the scholars.
In any case, this suspended disbelief is carried off beautifully by Manu Kumasi as Orlando and Tsilala Brock as Rosalind. Kumasi brings an undeniable ferocity to his young man, but also a rather charming brand of angst: his suggestion of a tightly-wound rocket of love and passion suddenly finding its target feels adorably genuine. Kumasi’s facility with the language is also excellent, if occasionally a bit more shouty than necessary, but that’s about experience, not talent.
As Rosalind, Brock is a complete original, a thousand miles from the often reed-thin incarnations of such ingenues. Indeed, this is a fully-dimensional woman who feels like she could step right off the stage and into her life and she exudes the kind of let’s-see-if-he-means-it integrity that goes a long way in explaining the complicated ruse she pulls on Orlando. On top of all this personality, her Shakespeare also happens to flow with exceptional naturalism and pitch-perfect emphasis.
Another standout is a memorable Nikkole Salter as a charismatic Jaques, bringing exactly the right humorous intensity and physical comedy. Her language flows like silk. As Corin and Phebe, Raven Lorraine is another player at home with her Shakespeare, and she commands her space with the warmth and confidence of a born storyteller.
Anchoring the production with his roles as the warring patriarchs Duke Senior and Duke Frederick, Jefferson A. Russell brings the gravitas and seems to be having fun doing it. Another cornerstone is Ahmad Kamal as Touchstone, the court fool, who joins Rosalind’s Ganymede and her bestie Celia (played with sweet earnestness by Sabrina Lynne Sawyer) in the Forest of Arden. Kamal is clearly much at home with physical comedy and engaging an audience, and what he doesn’t quite conquer with wit, he definitely delivers with sheer joie de vivre.
If these are some of the many highlights, it’s also true to say that there is a certain unevenness to the production where a few moments feel less well-oiled than others. At least some of this is the challenge of a long and convoluted play, but it’s also perhaps the price of bringing forward younger talent who need this work to build their experience. Still, much of the time, the stars (unlike all the lovers) are aligned, and As You Like It feels like a deeply cohesive troupe bringing to life a joyously well-told story.
As You Like It (★★★★☆) runs through April 12 at the Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 201 E. Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $20 to $109. Visit folger.edu.
More from Metro Weekly:
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
You must be logged in to post a comment.