All the World’s a Stage, but Come to This One in West View — A Review of As You Like It

By: Joseph Szalinski

Count your sheep and grab your friends to see everyone’s favorite pastoral comedy, As You Like It, in a production from Steel City Shakespeare Center, directed by Jeffrey Chips and Alexandra Hellinger, now running at West View Hub’s Hubworks in West View, PA.

A humorous commentary on court and country life, As You Like It follows a slew of characters as they navigate life, love, and the messiness that comes with it. Along the way there is betrayal, conflict, humor, song, and plenty of romance. Boasting a cast of actors who each assume multiple roles; this production is brimming with talent.

Bob Colbert gets to show off his physicality and comedic sensibilities with his roles as Touchstone, Oliver, and Duke Senior. Michael Kirk, in addition to serving as music director, plays Jacques, Adam, Duke Frederick, Lebeau, and Silvius. His commitment to the physical intricacies of each character is astounding, and a thrill to watch as he bounces between characters. Alexandra Hellinger plays Celia, Phebe, Amiens, and Charles. Despite the fact that Celia is the best demonstration of her abilities, her other portrayals allow her to show off her comedic side, particularly Charles. Lauren Scheller-Wolf, who is also one of the show’s producers, does double duty as Rosalind and Audrey, delivering solid performances as each character. Trevor Buda plays William, Corin, and Orlando, employing plenty of humor and charm, especially as the lovesick poet. Anastasia McDermott and Adelaide Schmich do an amazing job filling out the remainder of the roles.

In addition to being versatile actors, the cast is also musically talented. At various points during the show, they dart offstage to grab their instruments for lively jam sessions. Comprised of traditional tunes like, “Wayfaring Stranger,” “Scarborough Fair,” and “Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind,” the intermittent concerts add even more variety to this production. To make things even more interesting, the actors seamlessly swap instrumental and singing duties with each song.

On a technical level, this production is relatively minimalistic. Lighting and sound are left alone in favor of creative costuming and props, masterfully handled by production designer Hannah Ruth Moss. Costume changes appear effortless, which helps the flow of scenes and assists the audience in differentiating each actor’s various characters. The most ingenious use of a prop in the show is when the performers create an impromptu ring for a scuffle, which is executed beautifully, a cool mix of props and choreography.

Hubworks offers an intimate space for performances of all sorts. While theatre is typically hosted there, the space has seen events and workshops that range from music to robotics. An indispensable resource not just for the community, but for anyone visiting West View, the West View Hub, as a whole, does a tremendous job of providing opportunities for people of all ages.

Steel City Shakespeare Center is a wonderful theatre company that puts on phenomenal productions. They do a great job of curating seasons and choosing interesting shows to perform, being knowledgeable of their regular actors’ strengths while selecting plays that interest outsiders as well. Chalk full of creatives who continue to bring new ideas to well-seasoned stories, SCSC is a company that is destined to become the default for quality theatre just north of the city.

-JS

As You Like It continues its run April 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th at West View Hub Hubworks in West View, PA. For more information, click here.