The acting makes the play on Atholton High stage

By Emily Woodhouse  River Hill High School Originally published November 23, 2005

"All the world's a stage," and all Atholton's men and women merely players. In last week's performance of the Shakespearean tale As You Like It, Atholton's capable cast performed one of the bard's entangling and perplexing comedies.

As You Like It boasts a complex plot featuring four pairs of lovers, disguised courtiers and a few moon-eyed shepherds thrown together in the expansive Forest of Arden. This show features a young lass, in disguise as a man, who becomes a male confidant of her oblivious lover. Assisted by her fool, her cousin and her exiled father, she and the rest of the lovers are finally united.

Rosalind, a tortured young soul, was played with great strength by Emily Rozanski. However, when Rosalind donned a manly facade, Rozanski truly seemed to shine, adopting a masculine swagger and, at the same time, a very feminine connection with her lover Orlando (Evan Egel).

Standouts in the supporting cast were Rosalind's cousin Celia (played by Danielle McAllister) and the fool, Touchstone (Ben Zurier). However, the spotlight was stolen by Evan Sanderson - "one man in his time plays many parts"; indeed, the talented actor played three roles in the show (Jaques, Charles the Wrestler and a guitarist). As Jaques, Sanderson gave many lengthy monologues, which he delivered with both comical and tragic tones. His performance was astounding.

Technical aspects were also impressive. A creative set allowed for a realistic forest backdrop.

Although choreography and awkward staging sometimes impeded the flow of the show, nothing seemed to get in the way of the actors' voices.

As You Like It is a charming play, full of mistaken identity, the loyalties of friendship and the confusion of true love. Atholton's cast managed to sort out an intricate plot and presented it in a way that may have been as Shakespeare would have liked it.

Emily Woodhouse, a junior at River Hill, reviewed "As You Like It" for the Cappies of Baltimore, a program in which students review high school productions under the direction of their teachers and vote on awards for outstanding performances.

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Using Shakespeare's old English dialect with the recent teenage attitude, Atholton High school's production of Shakespeare's "As You Like It," was an eclectic collection of new and old.

A chaotic weave of stories, this confusing story of disguise, love and treachery was a thrill to watch. The story involved two rival dukes, two treacherous brothers, two devoted cousins, and an eclectic array of colorful characters.

Atholton portrayed this tale of deliberate confusion very competently and the cast gave an exciting rendition of Shakespeare's play.

Rosalind (Emily Rozanski), one of the devoted cousins, showed an incredible amount of aptitude when dealing with confusion, sentiment and comic timing. Her dear cousin Celia (Danielle McAllister) possessed great physical reactions and an adept tongue when speaking her witty lines.

Their trusty jester, Touchstone (Ben Zurier), made for an audacious "wit," pleasing the audience greatly with his humor and physical comedy. The courageous hero Orlando (Evan Egel) possessed a strong stage presence and an understanding of the plot that greatly benefited the audience.

The humorous show should be accredited in part to Evan Sanderson, who portrayed both Charles, the violent and arrogant wrestler, and Jaques, the melancholy lord attending an exiled duke. His performance had the authority of a professional. His constant physical humor and delightful monologues were great assets to Atholton's performance.

The lighting by Katie Persons highlighted the actors well. The Atholton players clearly wanted to merge the new and old in every aspect. Although at times the music was more modern, it seemed to upset the show's rhythm. However, the sound system overseen by DJ Mills was solid, and the cast suffered no technical difficulties.

On the whole, the show was an amusing event and very worth the trip. The play was admirable, and each character added a valuable piece to the performance.

by Maia Mattson,

Glenelg Country School