Since 2012, Midsommer Flight has been dedicated to offering high quality, accessible productions of William Shakespeare’s plays around Chicago. The company’s newest production of the Bard’s popular comedy As You Like It, will be performed in six different parks over six summer weekends. With top-notch humor, live music, and even audience participation, Midsommer Flight promises a delightful night of Shakespearean entertainment.
As the play begins, life is becoming difficult for the play’s characters, but the Forest of Arden beckons. Intellectual Rosalind (Stephanie Mattos) is banished from court by her cruel uncle, Duke Frederick (Barry Irving), She, her cousin/best friend Celia (Ebby Offord) and their court jester Touchstone (Chase Wheaton-Werle) escape to find a new life with Rosalind disguised as a man. In the forest, they meet a variety of colorful characters: Rosalind’s love interest Orlando (Thomas Russell), Rosalind’s exiled father Duke Senior (also performed by Irving), Orlando’s jealous brother Oliver (Ian Voltaire Deanes), melancholy Jaques (Jack Morsovillo), lovesick Silvius (Brandon Beach), and disdainful Phebe (Triniti Cruz). As in true Shakespeare comedic fashion, the play features familiar tropes: intra-family conflicts, gender disguises, and lovers who must overcome obstacles in order to be together. Spun together, As You Like It is a lighthearted, romantic comedy praised for its sophisticated banter.
Founding artistic director Beth Wolf succeeds in both directing and adapting Shakespeare’s texts in a way that is accessible and entertaining for its audience. At the press opening at the Chicago Women’s Park and Garden, the company takes advantage of using the park’s space for the play’s action. With Jeremiah Barr’s adaptable scenic and props design, Rachel M. Sypniewski’s colorful costumes, and Russell’s athletic fight direction, the audience is swept into the natural elements of the play.
One grand creative element of Midsommer’s As You Like It is the original music. Having worked on the company’s previous productions, Morsovillo creates toe-tapping music that blends perfectly with the songs and texts featured in Shakespeare. Performing alongside fellow actors Connor O. Locklin and Riley Samuel Merritt, Morsovillo turns the dramatic Jaques into an angsty musician who is very entertaining to watch.
The two undeniable standouts of the production are Mattos and Offord as the leading ladies. Both deliver Shakespeare's language with remarkable fluency, effortlessly bouncing off one another in a way that beautifully captures the sibling-like bond between cousins Rosalind and Celia. Their relationship feels authentic as they shift seamlessly from moments of heartfelt care and unwavering support to playful irritation and disagreement. Mattos shines with her eloquent delivery and delightfully sassy wit, while Offord steals scenes with her expressive, comedic facial reactions and irresistible charm.
Every member of the cast demonstrates impeccable comedic timing and a natural rapport with both their fellow performers and the audience. Whether delivering quirky one-liners sparking laughter or inviting audience members onstage to join a lively dance, the ensemble fills the production with infectious energy. The result is a vibrant, engaging performance that keeps the audience entertained from beginning to end.
Midsommer Flight proves why it has become one of Chicago's premier presenters of free Shakespeare. Through inventive staging, spirited performances, engaging music and an infectious sense of fun, As You Like It feels refreshingly accessible to modern audiences. Whether you are a longtime admirer of the Bard or experiencing one of his plays for the first time, this production offers an evening filled with laughter, romance, and community. It is a fitting celebration of summer theater and one well worth seeking out in the parks this season.
Midsommer Flight will perform As You Like It at five more parks around Chicago until August 2. Run time is 100 minutes with no intermission. Admission is free. Find details here.
For more information on this and other productions, see theatreinchicago.com.
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