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The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 14.2407  Friday, 19 December 2003

From:           David Bishop <dvbishop@mindspring.com>
Date:           Friday, 19 Dec 2003 02:09:21 -0500
Subject: 14.2388 'As You Like It': Actress Finds Shadows in
Comment:        Re: SHK 14.2388 'As You Like It': Actress Finds Shadows in
Shakespearean Spunk

I just saw AYLI tonight and would like to enter a mild bah humbug. Not
that the production is bad. It's just that everyone's eagerness to
embrace the warm father-daughter story enfolds Rebecca Hall in the
emperor's new clothes. To me she seemed like an attractive, intelligent
young woman who does a creditable job of pretending to act. She tends to
rush through her lines in a monotone, so that most of them cannot be
understood if you don't know the play. The response to those lines she
does project reflected the audience's deep desire to like her. But her
scenes with Orlando became dull, while Silvius and Phoebe, for example,
were wonderfully charming. Almost all the other actors could run rings
around the star. The simple set was nicely atmospheric, the direction
solid if conservative. Hall got some laughs where I'd never seen them.
The music was lovely. Jaques was terrific, as was old Adam. Though
Touchstone tended to rush his lines, he had comic talent that could make
even the unintelligible funny. The general quality of the production
supported the central myth, but Rebecca Hall, unfortunately, is no
Vanessa Redgrave.

Best wishes,
David Bishop

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