Shakespeare: As You Like It

Shakespeare: As You Like It Having recently looked at both The Two Gentlemen of Verona and King Lear, we now move to the pastoral comedy of As You Like It, with its dramatic collision of some familiar tropes—cross-dressing, familial ties and tensions, and exile into the wilderness. Banished by her uncle, Rosalind escapes into the forest with her cousin and court jester, and finds her beloved Orlando. Disguising herself as a boy shepherd called Ganymede, ‘Ganymede’ has Orlando pretend they are actually ‘Rosalind’ to “cure” his lovesickness. So, Shakespeare wrote a part for a boy actor, to play a girl, who disguises herself as a boy, who pretends to be a girl! Hilarity and confusion ensue. As You Like It is a rip-roaring romp that ruffles up pretences of society and gender, and celebrates love and nature. “The wiser, the waywarder.” These practical and playful sessions explore Shakespeare’s timeless works. Running the gamut of human experience from tragic to comic, you’ll get to perform speeches and scenes, explore stories and history, and discuss the profound questions posed by a writer who might just be both the greatest and most popular of all time. Sessions are taught by professional actor Charlie Sturgeon, 2018 MA Acting (Classical) graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, leading man of the Australian Shakespeare Company 2013-17 and of course host of our own improv and chatterbox courses.