As You Like It

The Viaduct Theatre, Dean Clough, Halifax Northern Broadsides return with ‘play for our times’, a bold and refreshing gender fluid production of Shakespeare’s most musical and much loved comedy. Marking the company’s first full scale touring production since Quality Street was curtailed by the pandemic in March 2020, this world premiere, featuring a cast of 12 Northern actors, will be a flambuoyant and joyous return to the stage.

Northern Broadsides staging of As

You Like It challenges us to imagine a new future. Capturing the sheer joy of live performance and the crazy power of love to change the world, this intepretation emboldens the timeless themes of love, gender, identity and power in Shakespeare’s original. A visual spectacle, the high value production will be radiantly brought to life with an original set and a high fashion costumes by E.M Parry. Set in a stylish but stifling court the high-spirited Rosalind and devoted cousin Celia are no longer welcome. When they escape into the forest in disguise, they bump into the recent object of Rosalind’s affection, Orlando, leading to an elaborate game of fluid identity where all the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players. As the seasons change in this magical place, normal roles dissolve and assumptions are turned on their head in this celebration of the transformative power of love and the natural world, featuring some of Shakespeare’s most vivid characters and memorablepoetry. LaurieSansom (pictured), Artistic Director of Northern Broadsides said: “This new production takes us deep into the joyful possibilities of if, and asks if all the world’s a stage, can all the men and women be whoever they want to be? This feels like a play for our time, challenging us to imagine a new future that is more playful, accepting and connected.”

The performance in Halifax will take place at The Viaduct Theatre at Dean Clough from June 9 to 18. www. theviaducttheatre.co.uk