This weekend saw the Sheffield University Theatre Company (SUTCo) take over Crookes Valley Park for a two-day production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It to raise money for National Youth Arts Trust. Running for several hours with only a short interval, this performance took centre stage, immersing us in the
forest of Arden. And with a clever use of the park’s available trees, the set felt well-suited to the story.
As You Like It is a story about royal families, intrigue, and relationship drama, leading to comedic situations. I’d heard of it before attending, but never looked into the plot further, so was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining it was.It was unfortunate that at times you struggled to hear some of the actors, due to the loud
parties occurring in the park nearby. But despite this the cast persevered, and their grasp on physical comedy made it easy to infer what was being said without words.
A few stand out moments for me were the performances of Matthew Heppell as Touchstone the court jester, who had audiences enthralled, as well as Emma Starczewski, who played several different yet equally compelling characters. Alicia Fitzwilliams, whose performance as wrestler Charles was hilarious.
A special mention must also be given to co-director Abbie Wright, who due to an illness was forced to step into the role of Oliver for both showings. This included a rather intense fight scene early in the play, though it was clear throughout that the whole cast were passionate and giving their individual performances their all. Aside from the acting itself, there was also an ingenious use of props and bard-core covers of popular songs to fit the theme.
Whilst the total figure raised for charity has not yet been released by SUTCo, the production will sure to be one to remember!
Rating: ★★★★☆
SUTCo’s Shakespeare in the Park: As You Like It ran from May 11th to May 12th in Crookes Valley Park
