As You Like It – Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

4.5/5 stars.

We went back to Stratford-upon-Avon for our third RSC trip this year, this time to see Jonathan Groff take on Rosalind in Daniel Evans’ all-male production of As You Like It. I’ll admit, I went in with a little trepidation.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen quite a few big American names come over to have a go at Shakespeare, with varying degrees of success. Unfortunately, some have demonstrated that perhaps being very famous and being able to deliver Shakespearean dialogue are not necessarily the same skill.

So when Jonathan Groff was announced as Rosalind, in a production directed by Evans, I was intrigued but slightly nervous. That said, Groff is hardly a celebrity randomly parachuting into classical theatre. He is an accomplished stage performer, with Spring Awakening, Hamilton and his Tony-winning performance in Merrily We Roll Along among his Broadway credits. However, this marks his RSC debut.

The only question was: could he do Shakespeare?

The answer, rather pleasingly, is yes.

Within minutes I found myself thinking about Kenneth Branagh’s film of Much Ado About Nothing, which made me wonder whether I had been unfair in assuming that American actors face a greater hurdle with Shakespeare simply because the form is so deeply embedded in British culture. Perhaps Shakespeare doesn’t require a British passport after all.

For anyone whose school English lessons are now a distant and possibly deliberately suppressed memory, As You Like It follows Rosalind, who is banished from court and escapes into the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia. Rosalind disguises herself as a young man called Ganymede, then encounters Orlando – the man she has already fallen in love with. Orlando, naturally, has no idea that the young man offering to cure him of his lovesickness is actually the woman he loves. It’s Shakespeare. Obviously nobody explains themselves and goes home.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the production. It is creative, funny and enormously playful. Admittedly I found the second half more engaging than the first, but the performances make Shakespeare’s language feel accessible rather than something you need to have revised beforehand.

The all-male casting also works far better than I expected. Evans uses it not simply to recreate Elizabethan conventions, but to explore the play’s ideas about gender, identity, attraction and performance. When a man plays a woman who disguises herself as a man while teaching another man how to woo the woman he doesn’t realise he’s speaking to, Shakespeare’s delight in theatrical confusion becomes impossible to miss.

One of my standout performances was Fisayo Akinade as Celia. His physicality is brilliant: a movement, look or reaction often communicates more than words, and he remains watchable even when he isn’t speaking. In a production packed with comedy, he finds humour without constantly appearing to search for the laugh. Other noteable performances included Greg Haiste as Touchstone and Gareth Snook as Audrey. In truth though everyone excels in the ensemble cast.

And then there’s Groff. His Rosalind genuinely surprised me. There is a wonderful directness to his performance, particularly in the second half when Rosalind, disguised as Ganymede, becomes sharper and more forthright with Phoebe (played brilliantly by Tim Preston). Groff’s American accent works especially well here, adding an unexpectedly modern edge to his delivery.

There are occasions where it can be argued his enthusiasm and projection are perhaps a little too much, but ultimately he manages to be engaging whilst capturing both Rosalind’s intelligence and vulnerability as the play progresses.

Elsewhere, the staging is deceptively simple but effective. I also loved the music  (Luke McCall's voice is exceptional). The songs and arrangements arrive at exactly the right moments, adding another dimension without losing sentiment.

Most importantly, this production is funny. The comic timing is excellent, and the production never becomes so reverential that it forgets the essence of As You Like It. Its warmth and silliness make the whole thing remarkably accessible. After seeing several productions in Stratford this year, this felt very different – less stately, perhaps, and considerably more mischievous.

I went in cautiously wondering whether an American Broadway star playing Rosalind in an all-male As You Like It might be one theatrical idea too many. I came out thinking it was a roaring success. Groff and indeed the whole cast appear to be having a genuinely wonderful time and that sense of enjoyment is infectious.

Admittedly the first half took me a little longer to settle into; Groff occasionally delivers enough energy to power most of Warwickshire, and I would have liked a clearer distinction between Rosalind and Ganymede but these are small criticisms of a production that is clever, warm, inventive and incredibly enjoyable.

It’s only playing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre until 7 November, and I appreciate that Stratford-upon-Avon isn’t exactly somewhere you casually pop into on the way home. But if you can get yourself there, go.

It turns out Jonathan Groff can do Shakespeare.

And rather annoyingly, he can do it very well. I'm beginning to think there is nothing he can't do!

Accessibility at Stratford-upon-Avon

Overall, I found the accessibility at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre really good, with helpful staff on hand throughout the building if you need assistance.

There is one accessible toilet on the Stalls level, and the queue can get quite long depending on how many people need to use the accessible facilities. There were quite a few of us at yesterday’s performance, so there was a bit of a wait.

The main theatre has several wheelchair spaces, and I had a great, unobstructed view of the stage without feeling as though I was blocking anyone behind me. There’s plenty of room, and companions can sit directly alongside you.

One thing I particularly liked is that, if you book early enough, it’s possible to book the surrounding seats as well. There were four of us in our group and we were all able to sit together, which made a real difference and isn’t something you can always do at theatres.

The shop and surrounding corridors can get very busy, particularly as everyone leaves after the performance, so if you can, I’d recommend making a fairly prompt exit before the area becomes too congested.

Overall, it was a very positive and comfortable experience. The staff were friendly and helpful; there was plenty of space around the wheelchair position. It felt as though accessibility had been properly considered rather than added as an afterthought