Jonathan Groff shines in an extraordinary and joyous As You Like It at the RSC
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What’s it about?
Shakespeare’s As You Like It follows Rosalind as she is banished from court and escapes to the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia. Disguised as a young man, Ganymede, Rosalind encounters Orlando — who has fallen in love with her but doesn’t recognise her in disguise — setting in motion a playful story of love, identity, friendship and mistaken identity.
For this RSC production, director Daniel Evans has assembled an all-male cast, echoing the Elizabethan tradition in which Shakespeare’s female roles would originally have been played by men. It adds another layer to a play already fascinated by gender, disguise and identity — particularly with Broadway star Jonathan Groff playing Rosalind, who then spends much of the play disguised as Ganymede.
What we loved
This is an extraordinary production of As You Like It. It comes with the considerable star power of Jonathan Groff, who has no doubt helped ticket sales, and it was great to see so many young people — and no doubt plenty of Hamilton fans — making the trip to the RSC.
Despite this being his Shakespeare debut — and let’s be honest, if you’re going to make your Shakespeare debut, where better than the RSC? — Groff is a natural. The words roll off his tongue with ease and, as a consummate storyteller, he fully embraces Rosalind and the comedy of the role.
It also gives him plenty of opportunity for a few knowing nods to the audience, which are always a crowd pleaser given Groff’s inherent cheekiness and obvious love of performing. He uses his American accent in the production, which works remarkably well and never feels at odds with the Shakespearean language.
Fisayo Akinade as Celia and Groff as Rosalind are fabulously paired as cousins. There’s a natural playfulness between them, and they seem to genuinely relish each other’s company.
Gary Wilmot is also excellent, playing dual roles of Duke Frederick and Duke Senior. Wilmot is always a pleasure to watch — confident and effortlessly engaging.
The As You Like It ensemble is terrific, and the production’s musical moments are among its highlights. Composer, arranger and music supervisor Theo Jamieson brings a distinctly Welsh flavour to the score, including beautiful a cappella arrangements of Welsh-language hymns. Performed by the company with gorgeous harmonies, the music is wonderfully woven into the storytelling rather than feeling like separate musical interludes, adding another distinctive and often moving layer to the production.
And then there is the staging.
The set initially appears as a stark white stage, but later undergoes an extraordinary transformation into the Forest of Arden. Suddenly it is bushy, high and dense — exactly the sort of forest where people can disappear, hide and unexpectedly encounter one another. It is a brilliant theatrical reveal and completely changes the world of the production.
The costumes are equally delightful, with lots of little touches tailored to individual characters: wool for the shepherd, Groff looking resplendent in hiking shorts as Ganymede, and Audrey’s glorious wedding dress. There is clearly a lot of love and thought behind their creation.
Anything we’d change?
This is a production that understands the joy and playfulness of As You Like It and commits wholeheartedly to it. The combination of Shakespeare, music, comedy, inventive staging and an excellent company makes the production enormously enjoyable.
Who created it?
As You Like It is written by William Shakespeare and directed by RSC Co-Artistic Director Daniel Evans. The production is designed by Anisha Fields, with costumes by Colin Richmond, lighting by Ryan Day and sound by Paul Groothuis. Theo Jamieson is composer, arranger and music supervisor, with movement direction by Michela Meazza and fight direction by Kev McCurdy.
Verdict
Jonathan Groff may be the name drawing many people to Stratford-upon-Avon, but there is much more to enjoy here than its star casting. He proves himself a natural Shakespearean performer, surrounded by a terrific company and some inspired staging.
This is a wonderfully enjoyable, fun and excellently staged As You Like It — and one that reminds you just how entertaining Shakespeare can be.
See it if you can !