As You Like It plays Broadway Theatre, 29 November – 2 December
As You Like It, Shakespeare’s poetic and irresistibly funny comedy of mistaken identity and love, comes to Broadway Theatre Letchworth this November, transformed in a bold new production by Kate Saxon and starring local actor Adam Buchanan.
Presented by Shared Experience this is classic Shakespeare retold in a fresh accessible style. Regarded as one of the UK’s best touring companies, Shared Experience is renowned for physicality and its absorbing delivery. This show is no exception.
Set in the modern world of alternative facts and fiercely jealous leaders, the young Rosalind and her friend Celia find themselves pawns in a power struggle. Together they decide to flee the city and its politics for the forest where they discover a countryside wonderland of peace and harmony.
Director Kate Saxon commented: “When Conrad Lynch (Artistic Director, Theatre By The Lake) offered me As You Like It and I first re-read it with my own production in mind, it struck me how pertinent and contemporary a story it was. Not only did it feel that Shakespeare ‘saw’ us in all our messy truths, it felt like the play exposed the state of the nation: our very 2017 existence where we’ve realised just how divided we are. Where social media has fanned the flame of difference and not unity. In our production, the Court is relocated to the State offices. Oliver works as a Spin Doctor for the usurping political leader, Frederick, whose ambitious and corrupt campaign has culminated in driving out his peace loving brother.”
Playing Charles, Silvius and Sir Oliver Martex is local actor Adam Buchanan, who grew up in Letchworth and is excited to bring the show the town. He commented: “I can’t wait to bring this performance to my home town. It’s such a fun show to perform and the cast are fantastic. My connection with Letchworth is as deep rooted as it gets. Both sides of my family lived in the town for four generations before me. My great grandfather ran a cycle shop, which then became a television and radio store under my grandad. Nowadays, you won’t be in Letchworth long before you see one of my dad’s Peter A. Wright Electrical vans driving about. I went to the Lordship Farm and Highfield schools. I learnt to swim at the St Francis pool and first acted with the Plinston Players aged seven. I used to spend a considerable proportion of my pocket money on bonbons in Annie’s Sweetshop!
He concluded: “I love my town. I bore people senseless about how green it is and how we have the first ever roundabout and how Laurence Olivier grew up there. But I really love it because I grew up with a bunch of loving, supportive, inspiring aunties, uncles and grandparents on my doorstep and had enough cousins to start a football academy. I was never short of company or fun things to do and a lot of that is due to Letchworth’s embracing community spirit.”
As you Like It plays Wednesday 29 November – Saturday 2 December, 7.30pm. Matinees Thursday 30 November, 1,30pm and Saturday 2 December 2pm. Tickets from £16, concessions £13. For more information visit www.broadway.letchworth.com
