As You Like It | Shakespeare’s Globe | ★★★☆☆
For those who remain sceptical that Shakespeare can be fun, allow me to prescribe The Globe’s latest production of As You Like It as a first step in Bard Rehabilitation.
Following heroine Rosalind as she flees to the Forest of Arden after being exiled from the royal court, As You Like It is light on plot compared to most Shakespeare and compensates for it wholeheartedly in silliness – an aspect for which The Globe’s 2026 production fully leans in. Forest men carrying around carcasses, a clown duelling in his knickers and a casual, non-plot essential fight with a lion that takes place offstage are just some of the details the audience are asked to swallow, no questions asked.
Opening in the royal court, the staging of Sean Holmes and Charlie Josephine’s production is striking for its bareness, with an intriguing backdrop made up only of giant blank, framed canvases. Blocking off any entries or exits from the backstage, the cast, flamboyantly clad in Bridgerton-style finery (think pastel satins and a lot of frilly collars), are instead forced to flounce onto the stage directly from the yard. Period accuracy (for whatever mishmash 17th-18th century court they’re going for) is not strictly of importance, with designer Laura Hunt making it intentionally of a mongrel mix (“there is no clock in the forest” after all), with the overall aesthetic impact the main concern. And it works. Wobbling about in comically large hoops skirt, Rosalind and Celia posture before the canvases as though they are the pictures being framed, no doubt an intentional nod to their function in the court.
All of this is to change though. Tossed out of the royal court by Act 2, Rosalind and Celia quickly don disguises, grab the court fool for entertainment and venture into the forest – where the scenery starts to transform.
A set that is painted live every night
As we enter the Forest of Arden and the courtiers are traded for shepherds and milkmaids, the blankness of the backdrop is disrupted by the sprouting of trees. This is thanks not to high-tech effects but actual artists (signalled naturally by berets) who frantically paint the set live every night to form the forest backdrop. This is a satisfying gimmick, but gimmick nonetheless. “This is the Forest of Arden,” Touchstone announces with comic effect, gesturing to the scenery after the first couple of trees have been haphazardly sketched; but I admit I was a little underwhelmed by the final masterpiece too (it needed more trees – sorry!).
Where this production really shines though is in the music. Featuring five songs written by the Bard himself, As You Like It is Shakespeare’s most musical play, and this is masterfully drawn out by musical director Katie Richardson. For this production, the songs have been reimagined in a folksy, trad style that lend a frantic, frenetic energy to the forest scenes. Richardson herself (or ‘the mad drummerwoman’ as I put in my notes) lords over the set from above throughout, peeking over the canvases from her balcony perch while wildly banging on the drums – a truly mesmerising addition to the cast. Lola Shalam (Rosalind), Gracie Oddie-James (Celia) and Jonnie Broadbent (Touchstone) all shine as the leading trio too.
Overall, this is a fun, ridiculous production to close out The Globe’s summer season, if lacking a little bit of oomph, as well as emotional resonance. But, so as Celia assesses the Forest, so too is my love of The Globe: I like this place, and willingly waste my time in it.