Shakespeare Uncovered (2012 PBS) Joely Richardson on ...

Shakespeare Uncovered (2012 PBS)

Joely Richardson on Shakespeare's Comedies
Twelfth Night and As You Like It

In Shakespeare Uncovered, Joely Richardson investigates (with a major contribution from her
mother Vanessa Redgrave) the legacy of the two great comedies and the great comic heroines
created by Shakespeare in those hugely popular plays.

Shakespeare's comic heroines are well known to be some of his greatest creations and in this
film Joely looks at Viola in Twelfth Night, washed up on a foreign shore, having (for her own
safety) to disguise herself as a man and then falling in love with the man she is working for.
Then there is the legendary Rosalind in As You Like It, who also spends much of the play
disguised as a man but in the process torments and teases the man she loves in an effort to
uncover how sincere he is.

Joely investigates the reason why these heroines spend much of their time dressed as men - it
was because they were originally created for young men to play. But at the same time we find
that Shakespeare revealed an acute understanding and sympathy for women when he wrote
these characters. A variety of film versions are studied alongside the most recent productions at
Shakespeare's Globe, and with contributions from the world's greatest Shakespearean scholars
like Jonathan Bate and Germaine Greer and from actors like Vanessa Redgrave and Helen
Mirren, this film reveals the legacy of strong, sassy, witty women that we inherit from William
Shakespeare's great comedies.

AS YOU LIKE IT (2010) 149 minutes (Opus Arte)

Director Thea Sharrock Choreographer Fin Walker
Designer Dick Bird Composer Stephen Warbeck

At its heart, a feisty but feminine Rosalind (Naomi Frederick), in love with the endearingly naïve
Orlando (Jack Laskey), uses her disguise as Ganymede to counsel him playfully in the art of
wooing. Distraction is provided by Dominic Rowan, a remarkably funny Touchstone, and Tim
McMullan, whose sonorous tones are perfectly suited to the lugubrious wit of Jaques.

Cast: Duke Frederick Brendan Hughes
Rosalyn/Ganymede Naomi Frederick
Celia/Aliena Laura Rogers
Touchstone Dominic Rowan
Duke Senior Philip Bird
Jaques Tim McMullan
Silvius Michael Benz
Phebe Jade Williams
Audrey Sophie Duval
Corin Sean Kearns
William Gregory Gudgeon

AS YOU LIKE IT (2006) 127 minutes (HBO films)

Directed by Kenneth Branagh

Screenplay by Kenneth Branagh

From the play by William Shakespeare

Rosalind, the daughter of Duke Senior (the banished duke), is raised at the court of
Duke Frederick (who is younger brother to Duke Senior and took over his dukedom),
with her cousin Celia (daughter to Duke Frederick). She falls in love with a young man
named Orlando, but before she can even think twice about it, she is banished by Duke
Frederick, who threatens death if she comes near the court again. Celia, being Rosalind's
best friend, goes with Rosalind (who is disguised as a boy, Ganymede) and Touchstone,
the court's fool, to the forest of Arden. Upon their arrival in the forest, they happen
upon Orlando and his manservant, who are fleeing the wrath of Orlando's eldest
brother. What follows is an elaborate scheme devised by the cross-dressing Rosalind to
find out the verity of Orlando's supposed passion for her, and to further capture his
heart, through the witty and mischievous façade of Ganymede.

CAST Brian Blessed Duke Senior / Duke Frederick
Bryce Dallas Howard Rosalind
Patrick Doyle Amiens

Romola Garai Celia
Adrian Lester Oliver De Boys
Alfred Molina Touchstone
Kevin Kline Jaques

Janet McTeer Audrey
Gerard Horan Denis
David Oyelowo Orlando De Boys
Richard Briers Adam

Nobuyuki Takano Charles
Paul Chan William
Alex Wyndham Silvius
Jimmy Yuill Corin

Jade Jefferies Phebe
Jotham Annan Jaques de Boys

Original Music by Patrick Doyle
Cinematography by Roger Lanser
Film Editing by Neil Farrell
Production Design by Tim Harvey
Art Direction by Christian Andersson
Set Decoration by Abi Groves
Costume Design by Susannah Buxton

As You Like It (1936) 96 min

Director: Paul Czinner
Writers: William Shakespeare (play)

J.M. Barrie (treatment)
Robert Cullen (scenario)
Carl Mayer (adaptation)

Cast: Henry Ainley Exiled Duke
Elisabeth Bergner Rosalind
Felix Aylmer Duke Frederick
Laurence Olivier Orlando
Leon Quartermaine Jacques
Fisher White Adam (as Fisher White)
Mackenzie Ward Touchstone
Aubrey Mather Corin
Richard Ainley Sylvius
Sophie Stewart Celia

As You Like It (1987)

BBC production of The Complete Works

Director: Basil Coleman

Cast: Helen Mirren Rosalind

Brian Stirner Orlando
Richard Pasco Jaques

Angharad Rees Celia

James Bolam Touchstone
Clive Francis Oliver

Richard Easton Duke Frederick

Tony Church Duke Senior
Maynard Williams Silvius

Victoria Plucknett Phebe
Marilyn Le Conte Audrey

Tom McDonnell Amiens

D.L. Meredith Corin
Arthur Hewlett Adam

As You Like It (1912)

Vitagraph Company of America

Silent, Black and White, 3 reels (about 60 minutes)
Directors: J. Stuart Blackton, Charles Kent, and James Young

CAST: Maurice Costello Orlando
Rose Coghlan Rosalind
Rosemary Theby Celia
Rose Tapley Phoebe
Kate Price Audrey
Harry T. Morey Duke Frederick
Tefft Johnson Duke Senior
Charles Kent Jacques
George Ober Adam
George Randolph Charles, the wrestler
Robert Gaillard Oliver
James Young Sir Rowland
James Morrison Silvius
Frank Mason Amiens
Robert McWade Sr. Touchstone
Charles Eldridge Corin

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Dolan, Frances E. “Introduction: As You Like It,” from Orgel, Stephen and A. R.
Braunmuller, The Complete Pelican Shakespeare. Penguin Books,
Hammondsmith, Middlesex, England: 2002.

The Internet Movie Database.