Shakespeare’s Fantasy Thrives in Orinda’s Forest of Arden

by Barry David Horwitz

A visit to the Forest of Arden brings a bracing breath of fresh air.

Scenic Designer Nina Ball has outdone herself with the creation of a glorious forest for Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.” When refugees from the corrupt court flee to the forest named after Shakespeare’s mother, Mary Arden, they are off to build a new world.

Inspired by Dali, giant pink, yellow, and blue leaves decorate Ball’s stunning staircase set—backed by living trees. Ball conjures a dream commune embedded in Nature. Her beautiful set evokes a fantasy land that liberates and welcomes the immigrants from the court, offering them asylum.

Duke Senior (breathtaking Catherine Castellanos) welcomes his loyal foresters and newcomers:

Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;
And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Find tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything.  (AYLI, 2.1)

When the city folk arrive, they are puzzled by rural life. Honest shepherds confuse them, as they discover new freedom—beyond the greed of the court. Director Elizabeth Carter has highlighted both straight and gender queer couples who are free to assert their identities in Nature.

First among queers, Touchstone (delightful Chris Steele), the comic Fool, is a super-sized drag queen in flashing red sequins with lots of leg. Steele savors every syllable with a quick wit, condescending to the “country copulatives.” As Touchstone, Steele struts and sashays in brilliant costumes, asserting urban “sophistication” over country folks’ manners.

The hero Orlando (poetic, graceful Wiley Naman Strasser) impresses with grace and humility, stealing the heart of Rosalind (clever Sam Jackson). Rosalind and her cousin Celia (bubbling Sofia Ahmad) arrive as immigrants in the forest world. They are warmly welcomed to the community.

On opening night, Orlando and Rosalind were still exploring their chemistry as a couple. Rosalind’s disguise as a boy should evoke gay conflict but it’s a hard trick to make credible.

The clash between corrupt politicians and innocent refugees surely rings true in our time of immigrant bashing. Here, they eat the wild deer, instead of the ridiculous lies about dogs and cats!

In magical Arden, nature rules. when the foresters brutally kill a deer for their dinner, Jaques (mesmerizing Stacy Ross) reportedly makes fun of the “intruders.” Jaques, the cynical philosopher, delivers the lines with a wonderful eccentricity, grabbing our attention. Jaques challenges our notions of conventional sexuality. Watch Stacy Ross quip brilliantly as she runs down the aisles, critiquing the eccentricities of court and country.

When Orlando’s nasty and greedy older brother Oliver (elegant Leontyne Mbele-Mbong), enters the forest, we see Nature converting the corrupt courtier to compassion and love.  Mbele Mbong uses just the right amount of male haughtiness to evoke an angry, addled overlord—a treasure.

Jed Parsario and Alicia M.P. Nelson play Silvius and Phebe, two love sick shepherdswho  provide more romantic comedy.  Each couple has a love game to play—including Touchstone’s wooing of sexy Audrey (versatile Nic A. Sommerfeld) in a wild gender maelstrom. They are fake-married by melancholy priest Sir Olver Martext (poker-faced Jessica Powell). Lovely confusion and conspiracy.

CalShakes reminds us that corrupt rulers will always attack those with honest motives but immigrants will finally heal the system that expelled them. Join the delightful hi-jinks in the Forest that beckons US, all immigrants, to Cal Shakes.

 

“As You Like It” by William Shakespeare, directed by Elizabeth Carter, scenic design by Nina Ball, lighting by Russell H. Champa, sound by Saibi Khalsa, costumes by Maggie Whitaker, at Cal Shakes, Orinda, California.

Info: calshakes.org – to September 29, 2024.

Cast: Sofia Ahmad, Catherine Castellanos, Sam Jackson, Leontyne Mbele-Mbong, Alicia M. P. Nelson, Jed Parsario, Jessica Powell, Stacy Ross, Nic A. Sommerfeld, Chris Steele, and Wiley Naman Strasser.

Banner photo: Chris Steele, Sam Jackson, and Sofia Ahmad. Photos: Craig Isaacs