A Synopsis

The play opens with Orlando's complaint that he is ill-treated by his older brother, Oliver. Oliver learns that Orlando plans to challenge the wrestler, Charles, at the court of Duke Frederick. Cruel Duke Frederick has usurped the throne of Duke Senior, but for the sake of his own daughter, Celia, has kept Duke Senior's daughter Rosalind at court. Rosalind and Celia watch the wrestling match. Orlando wins, and Rosalind and Orlando fall in love with each other. The cruel duke banishes Rosalind, and the girls decide to take the jester Touchstone and seek Duke Senior in the Forest of Arden. They go in disguise: Rosalind as a boy named Ganymede and Celia as Ganymede’s sister.

Meanwhile Orlando returns home to learn that his brother seeks to kill him. He escapes with his faithful servant Adam and happens upon Duke Senior and his Merry Men.

A Short Intermission ...

With angry threats, Duke Frederick sends Oliver to find Orlando. Meanwhile Orlando wanders the forest hanging love poems to Rosalind. When he meets Rosalind in her disguise, he does not recognize her. She offers to cure him of his love-sickness by pretending to be a girl. Touchstone has also fallen in love, and must win his Audrey from the country fellow, William. To further complicate the plot, Rosalind and Celia overhear the love suit of the shepherd Silvius for the scornful Phebe, and Rosalind makes a plea on Silvius' behalf. Phebe falls unwittingly in love with Rosalind in her guise as Gannymede. Just then Oliver arrives in the Forest of Arden with a bloody handkerchief and the plot thickens...

As You Like It

A Play by William Shakespeare

“All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players…”

The Cast in Order of Appearance