As You Like It
2012

1st to 4th August
Directed by Henry Morris

And there they… fleet the time carelessly, as they did in the golden world.
— Charles, Act I Sc 1

Led by the exuberant Rosalind, lovers, villains, comedians and malcontents become entwined in a kaleidoscope of love triangles as Shakespeare effortlessly mixes the comic and the serious in the magical Forest of Arden.

As You Like It celebrates freedom in all its forms. The Abbey Shakespeare Players' 26th summer production captures the fun that ensues when a gang of eccentric exiles rolls through a series of chance encounters, in a forest for which few of them seem cut out.

As the sun sets, with live music playing and swallows flying above the ruins of St Dogmaels Abbey, is there anywhere better to witness these "most strange events"?

We that are true lovers run into strange capers; but as all is mortal in nature, so is all nature in love, mortal in folly.
— Touchstone, Act II Sc 4

Cast

Duke Senior, a banished DukeRichard Carwardine
Rosalind, his daughterMary Glynn
Duke Frederick, brother and usurper to SeniorRichard Carwardine
Celia, his daughter, Rosalind's cousinGemma Streat
Orlando, youngest son of Sir RowlandEd Long
Oliver, his eldest brotherJonny Vaughton
Touchstone, a jesterJoe Kao
Le Beau, a courtierRichard Makin
Charles, a wrestlerWill Long
Old Adam, Oliver's servantIan Wood
Denise, Oliver's servantLinda Kirk
Amiens, noble exiled with Duke SeniorDan Webster
Jacques, noble exiled with Duke SeniorRichard Mitchley
First Lord, noble exiled with Duke SeniorCharlie Guest
Corin, an old shepherdGeoffrey Summers
Silvius, a young shepherdMartyn Wigley
Phebe, a proud shepherdessAngharad Evans
Audrey, a country wenchEmma Hall
Sir Oliver Martext, a parsonMike Hall
William, a country youthWill Long
Hymen, goddess of marriageJane Morris
Ladies in Waiting, Foresters, Pages, Puppeteers etcCatherine Bradley, Georgina Ferry, Linda Kirk, Amy Levene, Hermione Miltiadou, Richard Morris, Beth Wardle, Claire Wardle, Felix Watson, Jaygo Watson, Matt Watson, Katie Weatherall, Molly Williams and members of the company

Crew

DirectorHenry Morris
ComposerRichard Morris
Lighting designer & Technical directorDavid Long
Design and puppetsAmy Levene
Technical assistantDominic Hargreaves
Best boyWilliam Martin
WardrobeAmy Levene and Penny Miltiadou
PropsPenny Miltiadou, Hermione Miltiadou
Fight arrangerEd Long
Poster designAmy Levene
Front of HouseJane Hall, Sue Jones, Janet Paynter, Christine Pickthorne, Molly Williams
SetRobert Fitzmartin & Henry VIII

Music

Keyboard and repetiteurHenry Ward
Drum, guitar & voiceDan Webster
HornAmy Levene
VoicesCharlie Guest, Will Long, Richard Makin, Richard Mitchley, Jane Morris, Richard Morris, Beth Wardle, Katie Weatherall, Dan Webster and members of the company