Carly SkubickIf the audience was expecting British accents and Elizabethan garb, they were surprised from the moment they entered the theater last weekend to see William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” produced by the University of Tampa Department of Speech, Theatre and Dance.
The show was directed by University Professor Michael Stazcar.
The cast of 22 performers brought to life this classic comedy in a not so classic way.
Onstage at the UT production was a set consisting of only platforms and abstract white towers. Through the use of vibrant lighting, these towers resembled everything from trees to castles.
The show was set in a fantasy version of the American 1930’s, and costume designer Charlie Boggs created everything from dapper suits to couture gowns. The evil duchess even sported two custom recreated Co Co Chanel ensembles.
Despite the changes in setting, the dialogue remained true to Shakespeare’s original script. The performers’ successfully mastered the language, and Stazcar balanced the severity of Shakespeare with light slapstick and witty staging, resulting in an enjoyable experience for the audience.
“I had the actors explore the humor in the show,” said Stazcar. “I wanted to let the comedic element enhance the dramatic tension.”
The show was long, with a run time of almost three hours. This deterred many audience members from suggesting the show to friends. By closing night the audience had a tendency to be smaller by the second act.
“As You Like” It is a intricate tale. The young hero Orlando is out to seek his fortune and fame when he falls in love with princess Rosalind. When she is banished by her evil aunt, who stole the kingdom from Rosalind’s mother, Rosalind disguises herself as a man and sets out with her cousin Celia and the clown Touchstone to live in the forest.
The play follows their adventures and misadventures in the forest with the many new characters they meet along the way.
The trick to this show was the audience’s ability to keep track of the many characters and interweaving plots.
This became no difficult task thanks to the colorful characters created by the actors.
“All of the actors took these classic characters and made them their own,” said AmberRose Reale who played Rosalind. “It made the show more interesting for us as performers and livelier for the audience.”
While parts of the show did drag, some moments were packed full of laughs. Such was the case during the exchanges between the young shepardess Phoebe and her companion Silvius.
While Phoebe falls madly in love with Rosalind’s male disguise, Silvius is frantically in love with Phoebe. Throughout the show the audience was continuously humored as they watched Silvius trail his love around like a sick puppy while she continuously brushes him away. Played by freshman Corrine Mahoney and senior Stephen Walkiewicz, these two characters were the center of many of the shows comedic moments.
“All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players,” are the immortal words from Shakespeare’s “As You like It.” They are spoken in this show by Jacques, played by Bradley Knight.
Though this character did little to advance the plot, Jacques provided the audience with many of Shakespeare’s most philosophical and well-known speeches. Audience members were excited to hear these and other familiar words in his dialogue.
The show was a successful new twist on a literary classic.
The use of comedy and modern design allowed the audience to experience a show that could otherwise have been found completely lackluster. The same can be expected of the department’s upcoming musical,”The Fantastiks,” which opens in late April.