Set against the stunningly austere set of the forests of pre-war France, the School of Drama's rendition of Shakespeare's As You Like It, while not one of their best performances this year, was nevertheless a well acted and directed version of a complicated play.

The stage was simple but beautiful—a sloping stage, as in the Shakespearean tradition, studded with tall columns that represented the trunks of trees. As the seasons changed, leaves or snow would fall, and the characters would fluidly transform the props from one scene into those needed in the next. The lighting effects were subtle, but striking, playing the shadows of trees across the stage and diffused spotlights to highlight the focal points of a scene. The time period of pre-war France was primarily represented by French and army costuming.

As You Like It is a Shakespearean comedy in the truest sense. Rosalind (CFA senior Ashton Heyl) and her cousin Celia (CFA senior Paloma Guzmán) flee into the forest to escape the wrath of Celia's vengeful father, Duke Frederick (CFA senior Jack Carpenter) and his corrupt court that have exiled Rosalind's father, Duke Senior (CFA senior Raffi Barsoumian), as well as her new found love, Orlando (CFA senior Anthony Carrigan).

Disguised as brother and sister, with Rosalind dressed as a man, the cousins take up residence in a shepherd's cottage, and Orlando escapes from his brother Oliver (CFA senior Greg Coughlin), who plans to kill him, only to fall into company with Rosalind's father and his men in the same forest. Upon this discovery, Rosalind attempts to council Orlando in the ways of love, while still in her disguise as a young man, in order to be near him. As the tale progresses, the characters become entangled in various love affairs and deceptions which must resolve themselves in order for the lovers to be together in harmony.

A fascinating directing choice was evident with the portrayal of love at first sight. With each character that fell in love, the moment was accompanied by music, quickly followed by the sound of an arrow finding its mark, and the actors responding as if shot by Cupid's own arrow. This speaks to the mercurial nature of love that As You Like It addresses, as both an internal and external force, as something to be admired and feared.

The play in and of itself is complex and convoluted, with a long list of characters and plot lines which, though they resolve by the end, make it more difficult to follow the major characters. The actors were able to make the beautiful Shakespearean language seem very natural and fluid, but it was difficult to understand some of the long, expository monologues because they spoke so quickly. While the characters were vibrant and colorful, certain inconsistencies made the sense of place confusing: for example, the shepherds and shepherdesses were wonderfully portrayed, yet they spoke with American Southern accents, which seemed an odd choice when the play is set in France. The accent helped the audience understand the characters better, but made it difficult to figure out where exactly the scenes were taking place and how that related to the themes of the play

Nevertheless, the actors were excellent. Guzmán particularly shone as the feminine and fun-loving Celia, a stunning counterpart to Heyl's strong-willed but hopelessly conflicted Rosalind. Carrigan was a pleasure to watch as the young and reckless Orlando. CFA senior Chris Henry also stood out as Touchstone, the witty clown who helps Rosalind and Celia escape into the Forest, as well as CFA senior Dan Amboyer, who played the melancholy duke, Jaques, did as a refreshing foil to the romanticism of the other characters. The minor characters of the gypsies, with their music and almost pagan rites, as well as the simple but humorous shepherds, created a very full setting that juxtaposed the pastoral lives of peasants against the sophisticated lives of courtiers. In this way, the play reveals that the rich and poor, the simple and sophisticated, can all learn from each other's hardships, and that love crosses all boundaries, even those of class.

A show that creatively explores issues of gender, love, class, and the magic of nature, the School of Drama's As You Like It is an enjoyable watch and the perfect chance to see the highly talented senior class go all out in their final performance at Carnegie Mellon.

As You Like It is showing in the Philip Chosky Theater in Purnell until Saturday, May 6. There is at least one show a day until then. Ticketing information can be found at the School of Drama's website or by calling the box office at 412-268-2407.

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