Tonight, I went to Auburn Presbyterian Church here in Monroe, Louisiana, for their annual Shakespeare production. The selected play was Shakespeare’s As You Like It and was directed by Amy Medlin. After watching the play and talking to her, I’d have to say that this sharp girl has immense talent and certainly great things await her. She set the play in the 1960’s and made music a major part of her interpretation and presentation.
The song selections worked well, as did the costumes. A true dramatic spectacle. The young actors really got into the mindset, actions, dances, and speech of hippies in the 60’s. The set was minimalistic, but the church’s stage provided ample room for movement and the actors used the space well. I’m anxious to see the play again next weekend if possible when it’s performed outside at the Kiroli Park amphitheater in West Monroe. This was an enjoyable and energetic presentation of a play that’s easy for a troupe to flounder in. As I watched and listened, I was reminded again of the fact that Shakespeare truly is our greatest writer. So many of the lines were powerful and spoke to the heart. For some reason, these lines from V.ii stuck in my mind tonight:

“for your brother and my sister no sooner
met but they looked, no sooner looked but they
loved, no sooner loved but they sighed, no sooner
sighed but they asked one another the reason, no
sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy;
and in these degrees have they made a pair of stairs
to marriage which they will climb incontinent, or
else be incontinent before marriage: they are in
the very wrath of love and they will together; clubs
cannot part them.”
I highly recommend this play and this church as well. You can learn more about Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church here at their Website: http://www.auburnavenue.org/