Because outdoor theatre productions are at the mercy of the elements, they can be quite a risky undertaking. That said, open-air shows can also foster a bond between actors and audience members. Be it rain, or hail, or angry mosquitoes, actors and spectators are all in the same boat.
At the recent opening night of the UC Follies’ production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, both cast and audience had to contend with a rapidly descending nightfall. But even as the sun went down and the temperature dropped in Hart House Circle, where the show was taking place, the audience could not be disheartened, thanks to the actors’ enthusiasm and the play’s intimate setting.
It was, of course, problematic that the show did not begin for nearly 30 minutes past its scheduled start time, if only because the light of day was fading swiftly. It seemed almost like an afterthought when two crew members arrived with some rope to secure a lamp to a nearby tree.
The production’s haphazard atmosphere was appropriate to the relaxed setting of As You Like It. As the audience was settling in, finishing touches were unabashedly being added to the show’s only set piece: the cardboard-cottage home of Corin, the elderly shepherd. The actors continued to prance about in full sight until just before the performance began. While this was all a little disorganized, it also created an unintimidating and unassuming environment that was perfectly suited to the play’s pastoral themes.
When at last the show began, Touchstone the Fool greeted the audience. He apologized for the delay, gave instructions as to where not to pee during the intermission, and then disappeared to make way for the rest of the show.
As You Like It centers on Rosalind, a sharp-witted heroine with a knack for matchmaking. After being banished from her uncle’s court (or aunt’s court, in the Follies’ interpretation of the play), she dons a man’s disguise and, accompanied by her beloved cousin Celia and the court jester Touchstone, heads off finto the Forest of Arden. Trouble arises when Rosalind, dressed as a man, crosses paths with her lover, Duke Orlando, while at the same time, the shepherdess Phoebe, falls in love with Rosalind’s male persona.
The production’s main roles were filled by Lauren Goodman (as Rosalind), Siobhan O’Malley (as cousin Celia), and Shak Haq (who played Touchstone and directed the production). With palpable chemistry and strong character presences alone, this trio of actors was undoubtedly the highlight of the production.
It was not until after the sun was long gone and the park all but empty that the players took their final bows in total darkness. The single lamp had by this time run out of battery.
Somehow, though, even the lack of lighting seemed completely appropriate. The absence of any obvious theatrical equipment helped create the illusion that like their characters in As You Like It, the actors were merely a troupe of friends, playing in the forest. All in all, it was well worth staying out late to join them in the fun.
