A brutish leader hands his crown to his benevolent brother in a land where everyone is welcome and loved. Has Shakespeare’s Forest of Arden ever felt quite so fantastical or indeed so desirable? Here’s a tonic for the soul in these fraught political times. This musical adaptation of As You Like It is the second show in the National Theatre’s Public Acts scheme, created in partnership with Queen’s theatre, Hornchurch and eight community organisations. The final production features over 100 community members and is truly inspiring; the kind of theatre that allows you to imagine a better, kinder and more inclusive future.
The musical is almost entirely sung through, which is a relief since the script – adapted by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery – is a little wooden. But Taub’s songs and lyrics are quite brilliant. She has found a way to have fun with Shakespeare while absolutely nailing his big ideas and subtler moments of reflection.
There’s an ingenious melodic mashup of the Seven Ages of Man speech from an enjoyably grumpy Jacques (Beth Hinton-Lever) who stomps about the stage, muttering darkly to anyone who’ll listen. Orlando’s earnest love poems, scratched out on to the trees of Arden, are transformed into exquisitely cheesy pop numbers (“My love for you is like a hamburger – rare but well done.”); and Rosalind’s songs are the very best of the lot. There’s more than a touch of #MeToo to her empowering ballads, performed with elegance and guts by Ebony Jonelle.
The big chorus numbers are a thrill and it’s just a shame that Douglas Rintoul’s production, hampered by a relatively small stage, doesn’t include more of them. Hayley Grindle reimagines the Forest of Arden as an explosion of colourful crepe paper and slinky curtains of rainbow ribbons. Rohan Reckord, as the exiled Duke Senior, leads his singers in a warm calypso number, relaxed and full of hope. As our lovers come to the end of their story, the community gathers together once more. They sing of their fears for the future and then, in one booming voice, shout out: “Still I will love.” The audience stands and cheers.
• At Queen’s theatre, Hornchurch, until 27 August.
