Theater Reviews

Aug 23, 2006 - A midsummer night's dream with "As You Like It" at the Gold Hill Gazebo Theater

By Jack Neal

Where in this grand old world of ours, other than Gold Hill, Nevada (just outside of historic Virginia City), can a theatergoer find a midsummer's nights dream of a venue and a joyous version of Shakespeare's "As You Like It"? There are, of course, other charmed places, but none any more enchanting than the Gold Hill Hotel Gazebo Theater nestled cozily in the hills of the Comstock.

Presented in a happy collaboration by the Nevada Shakespeare Company with the Gold Hill Theater Troupe all the world is a stage and this picturesque outdoor space is the perfect location for "As You Like It's" pursuit of love, mistaken identity, and long wrongs made rather quickly right. The presentation has many delightful performances that warmed heart and touched the soul on an astonishingly perfect night (8/18/06) under a starry Nevada sky.

Directed by Jeanmarie Simpson, who makes ample and shrewd use of the steep hillside, tree endowed outdoor space designed, presumably, by the Intelligent Design of the Man (or Woman) Upstairs, then groomed handsomely by the mortal members of "As You Like It's" cast and crew. The set design is, as you might guess, without fault and so is Simpson's quick and quick-witted swiftness of direction.

The questions posed by the play are many and are quickly resolved, if not always clearly answered. Will the handsome Orlando wind up with the comely Rosalind? Will the love-sick Sylvius land the narcissistic "who's the fairest of us all" Phebe? Will Duke Frederic get his comeuppance? Will Jacques always be a wet blanket of broadside social commentary or will his droll philosophizing save the day? Will the girlish and attractive Celia marry anyone at all, or just go on having a grand good time?

As things stand with this show as adroitly edited by Cameron Crain into an action packed 90 minutes, a grand good time is had by all.

Crain is an efferfescent and magnetic Orlando. Michele Reynolds is a radiant and assured Rosalind. John Hadder is a wide-eyed, foolishly infatuated and droolingly effective Sylvius. Cori Cooper is a mirror-hugging Phebe whose school-girl crush on the wrong person gives added impetus to the phrase "out to lunch."

Roderick Dexter is a delightful and commandingly campy Duke Frederic (he's ready, Mr. De Mille, for his closeup). RT Carlyle is simply superb as Jacques and delivers speech after speech with edge, humor and razor sharp wit and meaning.

Meredith Richardson, girlish and riveting throughout, is a fresh and simply smashing Celia.

Mirth is the name of Perry Arnn's game as the Touchstone who leaves no stone unturned. Ted Polon (Charles) shines in the wrestling scene. Earl Case is a solid enough Duke Senior. Dan Morgan (Oliver) maintains the freedom of spirit, so inherent in this production, that makes Shakespeare's souffle of a play work.

Carleana Kondor is a lovely Audrey and fills the night air with Elizabethan airs played affecting on what appears to be and what sounds like a small soprano baroque flauto. Kondor and her two brothers, Caleb the older and Jonathan the younger, entertain in winning fashion before "As You Like It" begins. She on the flauto and they as jugglers. It's an engaging, terrific act and sets in motion the carefree mood for the fun and games that follow.

Bill Fain has produced this entertaining and stylish confection. It's a very choice encounter with live theater that's two good to miss.

The Gold Hill Theater Troupe and the Nevada Shakespeare Company's "As You Like It" can be seen Thursday through Saturday evenings, August 10 through 26 (2006), 8:00 p.m., at the Gold Hill Hotel Gazebo Theater in Gold Hill, Nevada, just one mile south of Virginia City. For information call 775-847-0111.