AS YOU LIKE IT marks double celebration for the New Vic & Northern Broadsides

It has been announced today that the New Vic will kick off its 2022 spring season with Shakespeare’s most musical and much loved comedy As You Like It, in a co-production with Northern Broadsides.

As You Like It, performed at the New Vic from 4-26 February before embarking on a national tour, will be directed by Northern Broadsides’ Artistic Director Laurie Sansom, with 12 northern actors bringing to life the vivid characters in this bold version of the much-loved comedy.

Beginning the year with a double-celebration, it sees both companies mark milestones – the New Vic theatre company’s 60th and Northern Broadsides’ 30th anniversaries.

Set in a stylish but stifling court, where the Duke is all powerful and brute strength is championed over basic human decency, 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 memorable poetry, brought to life with an original set and high fashion costumes by E.M. Parry.

Featuring 12 fabulous Northern actors including non-binary and disabled performers, the As You Like It cast includes Bailey Brook (The Monster, New National Theatre Tokyo) as Silvius/Charles; Isobel Coward (Nicer Than Orange Squash, Leeds Playhouse) as Celia; Shaban Dar (Brink, Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester) as Orlando; Gemma Dobson (A Taste of Honey, National Theatre Tour and Oldham Coliseum) as Phoebe; Terri Jade Donovan (Julius Caesar, Lir Academy) as Audrey; Ali Gadema (A Museum in Baghdad, Royal Shakespeare Company) as Duke Frederick/Duke Senior; Claire Hackett (Quality Street, Northern Broadsides) as Adam/Corin; Reuben Johnson (The Teacher, Channel 5) as Oliver; Adam Kashmiry (Adam, the National Theatre of Scotland) as Jacques, Joe Morrow (Seussical, Arts Theatre London) as Touchstone; Jo Patmore (Frost Hollow Hall, East Riding Theatre) as Amiens/William and EM Williams (Dream, Royal Shakespeare Company) as Rosalind.

New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins said: “It’s so great to be collaborating with our friends at Northern Broadsides once again. We have a long history of working together and I’m so pleased that we are able to continue our relationship as we head into a new year. As You Like It will open the New Vic’s Spring 2022 season and this much-loved comedy will, I think, give audiences a fantastic way to start the new year: a welcome escape into the joy of live performance.”

For more information and to book tickets, please click here.