As you walk into San Anton Gardens on a hot July evening you immediately notice that the temperature drops, the air is easier to breathe, colours come alive and the sound of cars is replaced by the sound of birds chirping (and the peacocks squawking).
It’s as though, just like Alice, you have stumbled upon a different world; a world where things are familiar yet slowly becoming ever more distant.
Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy As You Like It is one of those plays that is perfectly suited for open-air staging. Director Philip Leone Ganado and his stage designer Romualdo Moretti ensured that the beautiful natural setting of San Anton Gardens was exploited to its full extent with minimal intervention for this MADC production. A slightly raised platform, a natural screen made from twigs, and that was enough to transport the audience to the magical Forest of Arden where most of the action takes place.
Shakespeare’s Arden is a place where things are not what they seem; genders are swapped, class differences are hidden under disguise and politics and nature are confused. Yet, as rightly pointed out in the programme’s director’s note, Arden is also a place where people have an opportunity to be transformed and set free.
The central pair of characters are Rosalind, the daughter of the heartless Duke Frederick and Orlando, the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Bois and younger brother of Oliver (in this production changed to a female character, Olivia).
Roberta Cefai is a talented young actress and she gave Roslaind a strong blend of kind heartedness and wit that makes he character so likeable.
What I missed was that strong sense of independence that would make a young girl rebel against her powerful father and convention that we associate Rosalind with. On his part, Gianni Selvaggi proves a perfect match for Cefai’s Rosalind. His Orlando is both a gentleman and a love-struck, giddy youth and this was possibly one of his best moments on stage to date.
Although the play revolves around the complicated love story between Rosalind and Orlando, the most interesting dynamic to me is actually the friendship between Rosalind and her cousin Celia.
Steffi Thake was at her very best as Celia; she fleshed out a character that, although secondary in importance to Rosalind, fully demonstrates the human virtues that are always at the heart of Shakespeare’s writing. Her movement was precise, her delivery was direct and her emotions spot on.
The supremely talented Chris Dingli lived up to his line “one man in his time plays many parts” by playing both the hilariously camp ‘Le Beau’ and the melancholic Jacques. Dingli has an effortless ease that he brings to his characters that is always a joy to watch.
Also playing dual roles, Stephen Oliver brings his great experience (and wonderful vocal skills) to the roles of Duke Frederick and his banished brother, Duke Senior.
Frederick is rotten to his core; usurping and banishing his own brother and hanging on to power at all cost. Oliver employs his trademark nasal snarl to give the character a menace that stands out from the jovial atmosphere of the opening scenes without turning him into a caricature. When he next appears as his kindly brother a change in voice is all it takes to convince the audience of the transformation.
As You Like It is such a great crowd-pleaser because of its wonderful blend of comedy and pathos and the success of this production owes a lot to the wonderful portrayal of the bawdy court jester, Touchstone, by Jonathan Dunn. Touchstone is both vulgar and narrow-minded, yet Dunn imbues him with layers upon layers of charm that is simply irresistible to watch. His performance alone is good enough reason to watch this production.