As You Like It

"As You Like It" is one of William Shakespeare’s most beloved pastoral comedies, believed to have been written around 1599. The play centers on a mass exodus from a corrupt, oppressive court to the restorative Forest of Arden.


The heroine, Rosalind, daughter of the exiled Duke Senior, is banished by her usurping uncle, Duke Frederick. Accompanied by her cousin Celia and the jester Touchstone, she flees to the forest, disguised as a young man named Ganymede for safety.


In the forest, they encounter Orlando, a young nobleman also exiled after being persecuted by his older brother. Rosalind and Orlando had previously fallen in love at court, and now, while still disguised as Ganymede, Rosalind cleverly "cures" Orlando of his lovesickness by having him woo "her" as if "she" were the real Rosalind.


The play explores the delightful contrasts between the complex court and the simpler, forgiving country life. It features the famous speech, "All the world's a stage," and culminates in four simultaneous marriages and a series of happy reconciliations, all celebrating the foolish, redemptive, and enduring power of love.