Above- Left to right Meg Bennetts and Zachary Aleksander. Pic Phil Erbacher
There’s something irresistibly joyful about watching a young company throw themselves headlong into AS YOU LIKE IT.
Shakespeare’s comedy thrives on mischief, disguise, and romantic confusion, and this production grabs that energy and runs with it. From the first scene, the play is treated not as a museum piece but as something to jump into, a theatrical frolic, where wit, movement, and invention take the lead. The result is lively, a little chaotic, and utterly infectious.
Under the direction of Alex Kendall Robson, the action races confidently through lovers, disguises, and philosophical asides. The court begins stiff and watchful, but once the company escapes to Arden, rules loosen, hearts wander, and the stage becomes a playground for romantic mayhem. Robson keeps the storytelling clear and the pace moving, letting the comedy tumble forward naturally.
At the centre of the action are three performers who anchor the story. Jade Fuda’s Rosalind sparkles with quick wit and playful confidence. Pat Mandziy’s Orlando brings open hearted sincerity, while Larissa Turton’s Celia adds warmth, humour, and lively camaraderie.
Yet, it is the ensemble that is the real powerhouse. Performers play multiple roles with seamless ease and audience pleasing flair. Meg Bennetts’ Audrey and Zachary Aleksander’s Touchstone dive into the comedy with full commitment, while Kendall Robson’s Jacques observes the chaos with dry wit, shaping the physical comedy with precision.
The design is simple but clever. The forest of Arden grows on the walls, silhouettes projected and traced in chalk throughout the performance until the woodland feels alive. Lighting designer Holly Nesbitt uses LED lights wrapped in ivy that change colour with the mood, allowing the atmosphere to reflect the story. Rugs spread across the floor, creating a relaxed, picnic-like space for wandering lovers, philosophical shepherds, and general mischief. The music is eclectic and performed with gusto, hopping across eras and styles. Stomping, singing, and shared rhythms make it feel communal and exactly the live-theatre energy that reminds you why plays like this still matter.
And then there are the sheep.
This pair of woolly interlopers, played by Max Fernandez and Brea Macey, repeatedly punctures the action with perfectly timed physical comedy, sending the audience into delighted laughter each time they appear. They multiply by the end causing hysterical laughter, I guess you just have to be there! Throughout the evening, the company continually breaks the fourth wall with ease, drawing the audience in. It’s playful, immediate, and alive, arguably exactly as Shakespeare intended.
This production proves Shakespeare doesn’t have to be stiff or distant. When (mostly) young performers tackle it with this much energy and imagination, it becomes joyous, chaotic, and utterly watchable. We need more of this: bold, inventive stagings that show how fun theatre can be. Watching this cast tumble gleefully through disguises, romance, and philosophical rambling is exactly why we keep coming back to live performance.
Or, to borrow the Bard himself, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players” and in this production, they’re playing with pure joy. Don’t miss it!
Fingerless Theatre ‘s production of AS YOU LIKE IT is playing the Flight Path theatre till 14 March 2026.
Production photography by Phil Erbacher
