As You Like It

I have always enjoyed Shakespeare. I know a lot of people groan anytime they see his name, but I enjoy his plays, from Comedy of Errors to The Tempest. I even enjoy his histories (although Richard II is enough to try anyone's patients)

This past weekend I had a chance to go see As You Like It at the Great River Shakespeare Festival. (www.grsf.org) It was wonderful; I've missed going to Shakespeare Festivals. Winona's stage is beautiful, from a purely technical standpoint. It is quite the thrust stage. I was sitting in row D and was less than twenty feet away from the actors.

As You Like It is one of Bill's 'dramedies.' There is some drama and death, but for the most part it has a lot of wit and love crossed stories in it. One of the strongest women's roles he wrote, Rosalind, is in the play, and the actress did a fine job. It's also one of the cross-dressing shows. The endings of the dramedies always leave me a little cool, though. Everyone, except who had died earlier in the show, ends up married and any duke who had been forced out of power is peacefully reinstated.

Almost like a Disney film. I knew they had gotten the idea from somewhere...