Olney, MD 20832
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OLNEY THEATRE INSTITUTE
AS YOU LIKE IT
by William Shakespeare
“All the world's a stage, and the men and women merely players”
When her uncle banishes her from court, Rosalind flees to the foest of Arden where she meets an unlikely group of woodland characters - wise fools, malcontent wanderers, lovesick shepherds, and Orlando, the man she loves. In this joyful comedy, identities are revealed, brothers reconciled, harmony established, and romantic happiness triumphs.
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Synopsis
Duke Frederick, younger brother of the rightful Duke Senior, has banished his older brother and taken his place at court. Duke Senior has fled with some loyal followers into the Forest of Arden, leaving his daughter Rosalind behind with her cousin Celia. Another set of brothers is also having difficulties: Sir Rowland de Boys has died, and his oldest son, Oliver, has refused to give his younger brother, Orlando, the property and education befitting a gentleman.
The play opens with an argument between Orlando and Oliver. Annoyed, Oliver encourages Charles, the Duke’s wrestler, to seriously injure Orlando in their upcoming match. To everyone’s surprise, Orlando wins the wrestling match and Rosalind, seeing Orlando’s valor, falls in love with him, and he with her. Orlando’s victory, however, incites the anger of both Oliver and Duke Frederick, and he is forced to escape into the country.
Meanwhile, Duke Frederick commands that Rosalind be exiled. Celia, unwilling to lose her dearest friend, decides to escape with her. They devise a plan to flee in disguise – Rosalind as a young man named Ganymede and Celia as his sister, a countrywoman named Aliena – along with a court clown, Touchstone. Finding their way to the Forest of Arden, they meet an old shepherd named Corin and decide to settle in his cottage, retaining their disguises.
Orlando soon finds his way to Duke Senior and his men. Orlando spends his time pining after Rosalind, carving love poems onto the trees of the forest. When she realizes Orlando is nearby, Rosalind, still disguised as Ganymede, speaks to him. She assures him that she can cure his heartache if he speaks to “Ganymede” as if “he” were Rosalind. Rosalind also attempts to “cure” the lovesick shepherd Silvius by playing matchmaker with his beloved, Phoebe. This plan backfires, however, when Phoebe falls in love with Ganymede instead. Adding to the romantic chaos, Touchstone falls in love with Audrey, a goatherd, and attempts unsuccessfully to marry her.
Touchstone also has several encounters with Jaques, Duke Senior’s perpetually melancholy courtier. Jaques admires Touchstone’s satirical wit and is cheered by their philosophizing, and decides that he would like to become a fool himself. Duke Senior, however, doubts that the gloomy Jaques would be very good at the job.
Oliver enters the forest in search of Orlando. He falls asleep under a tree, failing to realize that a lioness is crouched nearby, ready to attack. Orlando, stumbling on the scene accidentally, saves Oliver’s life and is injured. Oliver brings Rosalind and Celia a bloody handkerchief from Orlando; Rosalind faints, and Oliver and Celia fall instantly in love. The lovers decide to marry the next day. Rosalind makes Phoebe promise that she will marry Silvius if she cannot have Ganymede, and then promises Orlando that tomorrow she will bring Rosalind to marry him.
The next day, as all are gathered for the wedding ceremonies, Rosalind and Celia finally reveal themselves. Realizing that she cannot marry a woman, Phoebe agrees to marry Silvius. Rosalind and Orlando are united and all the couples are married by Hymen, the god of marriage. Oliver and Orlando’s third brother Jacques arrives with the news that Duke Frederick has undergone a religious conversion and has restored the dukedom to Duke Senior. The couples celebrate happily and plan to return to court after their country festivities.
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