In the production of the International Shakespeare Festival in York, last night, in the continuation of the drama program of the XXXVIII festival Grad Teatar in Budva, the play "As You Like It" by William Shakespeare was performed.
"As You Please" is a pastoral comedy believed to have been written in 1599 and first printed in 1623 in a collected edition of Shakespeare's plays known as the First Folio.
The play follows the heroine Rozalind as she flees persecution at her uncle's court, accompanied by her cousin Silia, to find safety and, ultimately, love in the Forest of Arden.
In the forest, they meet various unforgettable characters such as the melancholic traveler Žak, who speaks one of Shakespeare's most famous speeches ("The whole world is a stage") and provides a sharp contrast to the other characters in the play, always observing and challenging the hardships of life in the country.
Although the play is one of Shakespeare's most frequently performed comedies, its value has long been contested by critics.
Some considered the play to be of great merit, while others considered it to be of lesser quality than Shakespeare's other works.
George Bernard Shaw complained that the play "As You Like It" lacked the high art of which Shakespeare was capable.
Tolstoy objected to the immorality of the characters and Touchstone's constant joking.
Other critics found great literary value in the work.
Harold Bloom has written that Rosalind is among Shakespeare's greatest and most fully realized female characters.
The play has been adapted for radio, film and musical theater.
Music for the countertops by Nick Jones and Phillip Parr, au counterstaircase by the glumzi: Tom Morris, Adam Perot, Jacob Ward, Thomas Jennings, Beatrice Bowden, Livi Potter, Kate Cohen, Sonya Dilorenzo, Nick Jones and Skylar Mabry.
After the performance, Livi Potter said that the scene between the churches contributed to the atmosphere of the play.
"This is a really incredible place, you can feel the electricity every night. I've never experienced this in a theater, it's really incredible. Budva is also a very interesting and diverse city with a lot going on. I love the combination of old and new. I think that it has everything. It has amazing beaches. I have a really good time here," said Potter.
As she pointed out, out of the three plays she plays at the Gradu Theater, her favorite is "The Epiphany Night", which was performed the night before.
"Only for the reason that I play a commanding woman because it fits well with my own character. So, we can say that I play a role that suits me. I have some really fantastic lines and I shout a lot, so I enjoy myself while I'm on stage. And the next play we play August 8 is full of drama, intrigue, blood and fantastic acting," Potter said.
Tonight, the play "Macbeth" will be performed on the stage between the churches, also produced by the International Shakespeare Festival in York, and actor Jacob Ward said that it is his favorite play they play in Budva.
"I'm playing the title role so it makes sense and it's my favorite show out of the three we're doing, and it's always been a dream of mine to play that role. It's been great doing that show together with this ensemble, it's been a rollercoaster ride from the beginning until the end, a lot of energy and fun. It's one of my three favorite Shakespeare plays, besides 'Hamlet' and 'Epiphany Night', which we played the previous day," Ward emphasized, adding that Shakespeare is still relevant because is a brilliant writer.
"He manages to capture real emotions and put them on paper, and then write them in such a way that when the actor just says them out loud, they come out in the actor. So it really helps the actor to perform the scene and understand what's going on in it. And then it's fun to play because you work less as an actor because he did more as a writer," said Vard.
As he added, he really likes Budva, especially the Old Town.
"I absolutely love all the little passages, all the places where you can eat a pizza and have a drink. The beaches around are beautiful, the people are great and friendly. We were in a pub last night and a lot of people talked to us so I feel very welcome here" , said Vard.
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