Strange doings in the woods at The Space Theatre.
In modern storytelling, the untamed forest is the setting for mayhem, particularly for young women venturing out alone at night, usually in high heels. In Shakespeare, the forest is home to magic and love — also gender-bending cases of mistaken identity. While today’s woods result in body bags (think “How to Get Away With Murder”), Shakespeare’s woods result in weddings — and in the Forest of Arden in “As You Like It,” a quadruple wedding.
* * * ½ stars | Comedy
The staging of “As You Like It,” directed by Kent Thompson in the Theatre Company’s first go at the play, injects terrific physical comedy into the familiar story, and layered, modern readings to accent the meanings of certain lines.
The beautiful, distinct, nearly musical delivery of the language makes the two acts fly by. A spare set reliant on mood-enhancing lighting gives the cast and the words prominence.
There’s joy in this tale of a banished Duke, his beautiful daughter, her BFF, his power-grabbing brother, a smarty-pants fool called Touchstone and an eye-catching, love-struck Orlando, tutored in love by a disguised, cross-dressing version of his lover. Colorblind casting brings a welcome diversity to the show.
Standouts in the production are Carolyn Holding as Rosalind and Matt Zambrano as Touchstone. Holding has fun with the Rosalind/Ganymede role, switching in and out of male-female forms and letting the audience in on the character’s own possible confusion. She sprawls and crawls around the stage with seeming ease. Zambrano suitably hams it up in jester mode, adding timeless shtick to the part.
The role of Jacques, given subtle depth by Daniel Pierce, grounds the play with a jaded, even pessimistic undertone. Pierce renders the part with both gravitas and a knowing humor. His delivery of the Seven Ages of Man monologue gives it a wise, sardonic tilt.
And Emily Kron works as much humor as possible from the role of lovelorn, misguided and all-too-desperate shepherdess Phoebe.
From an intricately choreographed wrestling match to the musical flourishes of a band of young actors, the action works in service to the writing. A perhaps gratuitous use of expensive staging equipment at the end brings a Scrooge from the heavens (as Hymen the wedding deity). But all’s well that ends with a sweet epilogue.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830, jostrow@denverpost.com or @ostrowdp
“AS YOU LIKE IT”
By William Shakespeare. Directed by Kent Thompson. Featuring Carolyn Holding, Maren Bush, Matt Zambrano, Daniel Pearce, J. Paul Boehmer, Adrian Egolf, Nick Lamedica, Emily Kron. Through Nov. 1 at The Space Theatre, Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinee 1:30 p.m. Tickets start at $35. Call 303-893-4100 or online at
