Director Elizabeth Carter leans heavily on the power of nature to heal and the ideal of a much more gender-expansive world in Cal Shakes’ production of “As You Like It” as the Bru…
Sam Jackson and Wiley Naman Strasser in a scene from Cal Shakes production of “As You Like It,” playing through Sept. 29 at the Bruns Amphitheater in Orinda. Celia from Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” has a very appropriate line for Cal Shakes’ current production running through Sunday at the Bruns Amphitheater in Orinda: “I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it.
Carter cast Catherine Castellanos in the duo role of Duke Frederick as well as his older sibling Duke Senior. The casting of one actor in both these parts is the norm, except Carter has transformed Duke Senior into a mother rather than father to Rosalind. So many wonderful performances, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Steele’s finely tuned Touchstone, who commands the stage whenever they appear, especially in his sparkling pink creation by costumer Maggie Whitaker. Also, Ross as Jaques delivers the most compelling “Seven Ages of Man” speech I’ve ever heard. While portraying Jaques’ cynicism and egotism, she creates a richer character full of thoughtful, intelligent remarks.
The complicated story unwinds over three acts and approximately 3 1/2 hours with a body count that rivals the final scene of “Hamlet.” Unfortunately, Scheie as Abby shouts his lines most of the time. When he lowers his voice, his performance is much more successful, with Gaffney’s lower-key approach as Martha more effective.
Conceived by Langbehn, the script features interviews with 23 Congresswomen published by “The 19th,” a nonprofit news organization, as they recall the horrors of that day when an angry mob smashed windows and ransacked offices in Washington, D.C.
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