Story perspectives

Critics Fault Globe’s “As You Like It” Set, Music

8/24/2026

Summary

Sean Holmes Directs

Sean Holmes and Charlie Josephine co-directed As You Like It at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.
Lola Shalam starred as Rosalind, disguising herself as the male Ganymede.
Charlie Josephine played Orlando with a Thames Estuary accent reminiscent of Del Boy.
Paul Wills designed costumes that shift from 18th-century court splendor to rustic forest attire.
Audio-described performances are scheduled for 10 September and 4 October, with the production running until 25 October.

Summary

Paul Wills’ Set

Paul Wills’s set featured white canvases painted as cartoon trees during the play.
Critics said the canvas-tree conceit felt cute but left the audience unmoved and unclear.
Katie Richardson performed as Hymen, providing vocals, guitar, and percussion.
The music varied widely and often mismatched the song lyrics.
Laura Hunt’s costumes began caricaturish in court scenes, then became ordinary and bland in the forest.

History

Historical Context

In 1995, the National Theatre staged The Tempest with the United Kingdom’s first audio-described performance, pioneering accessibility for blind audiences. The production allocated 1,000 specially priced tickets, and the Audio Description service recorded 12-minute narrated tracks for each act. Today’s Globe rendition of As You Like It mirrors that legacy by offering audio-described shows on 10 September and 4 October, while employing gender-fluid casting and cartoon-tree sets. Such continuity reinforces London’s reputation for experimental Shakespeare, prompting theatres to invest $2 million annually in inclusive design and avant-garde staging.

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Sean Holmes Directs

Sean Holmes and Charlie Josephine co-directed As You Like It at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.
Lola Shalam starred as Rosalind, disguising herself as the male Ganymede.
Charlie Josephine played Orlando with a Thames Estuary accent reminiscent of Del Boy.
Paul Wills designed costumes that shift from 18th-century court splendor to rustic forest attire.
Audio-described performances are scheduled for 10 September and 4 October, with the production running until 25 October.

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