Early in Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Celia urges her cousin Rosalind be merry despite her difficult circumstances. Rosalind is the daughter of a deposed duke who was banished by his brother, Celia’s father.
When Rosalind accedes to the request, she says, “From henceforth I will, coz, and devise sports. Let me see—what think you of falling in love?”
As many times as I have read and heard this line, Summer Baer surprised me with her exuberant delivery in St. Louis Shakespeare’s current production. Baer’s Rosalind leans into her enthusiasm for falling in love but remains arguably the most self-possessed young woman in a Shakespeare comedy. Rosalind’s ability to embrace love and not completely lose control is charming in Baer’s performance.
The young man who catches Rosalind’s eye is Orlando, the second son of a loyal follower of the old duke. Orlando’s older brother has not given Orlando an upbringingbefitting his station in life.
His natural gifts enable Orlando to win a wrestling match, but because he has not had a proper education, he is unable to respond when the smitten Rosalind congratulates him on his victory.
Oliver Bacus’s portrayal of Orlando establishes both his good nature and his inadequate nurture. He meets Rosalind again in the Forest of Arden, where both have fled from the new duke’s wrath. Orlando does not recognize Rosalind, who had disguised herself as a boy, and accepts her offer to teach him how to woo his Rosalind.
Baer and Bacus click in their scenes together in the forest. As You Like It is the fourth play in the last three years in which I have seen Baer and Bacus perform together. They work together very well.
Under Patrick Siler’s direction, St. Louis Shakespeare staging is well conceived and paced. The decision to perform in masks (because of a positive test in the cast during tech week) limits the actors’ expressiveness, but they display a good understanding of their parts and speak them with clarity. The performes include:
- Rhianna Anesa as Rosalind’s cousin Celia
- Shane Signorino as both dukes: the banished Senior and the usurping Frederick, whose eyepatch prevents confusion
- Colin Nichols as Jaques, the melancholy follower of Duke Senior
- Jacob Cange as Touchstone the clown
- Jeffery Lewis as Charles, a wrestler; Sir Oliver Martext, a Vicar; and the second lord
- Bethany Miscannon as Phebe, a shepherdess
- Joey File as Silvius, a shepherd in love with Phebe
- Kanisha Kellum as Audrey, a country woman
- Milo Marston as William, a country man in love with Audrey, and the first lord
- John Waller as Oliver, Orlando’s older brother
- Jim Read as Adam, Oliver’s servant, and Corin, a shepherd
- Barrett Wagner as Amiens
- Duncan Phillips as Orlando’s younger brother, Jaques.
Erik Kuhn choreographed an exciting wresting match between Lewis’s Charles and Bacus’s Orlando.
The production’s atmosphere benefited from Cris Edwards’ scenic design, Patrick Huber’s lighting, Theo Dawson’s costumes, Jimmy Bernatowicz’s sound, and Tinah Twardowski’s props.
As You Like It continues through October 2 in the Kirkwood Community Center’s Robert G. Reim Theatre, 111 South Geyer Road.
—Gerry Kowarsky
Photo by Dan Donovan