Reviews

Although Shakespeare's As You Like It has been performed for nearly 400 years in numerous versions, the stage expression of the two young directors using the methods, rhythms, and assumptions of Chinese opera, gave us a new feeling. The 12 actors are academic directors—some have become directors, and some are still studying at school. Each of them is exceptionally skilled, and echoes the Shakespeare of 400 years ago—especially Yu Fengxia, who is both the director and an actor in the play. She is also an outstanding young screenwriter supported by the National Arts Fund. With talents for composing, directing and acting, she is also good at singing and dancing, handling each character perfectly.

― Feng Daqing, Screenwriter

Unique stage, novel form; black, white and red constitute the color scheme for the entire set! A group of directors played a unique Shakespeare! The perfect combination of Chinese opera elements and Western drama! Absolutely a benchmark! Bring cheers to these energetic young people!

― Audience member

Watching As You Like It is undoubtedly a wonderful theatre experience. Twelve chairs on an empty stage, with expressive performances by the actors, all of whom embody the aesthetic principles of Chinese traditional operas. This approach gives Shakespeare a different kind of spark! It can be said that As You Like it is an exploration of the purity of drama. It is a tribute to Shakespeare by Chinese dramatists in the most Chinese way!

― Cando360.com

This As You Like It is different from the performance of traditional Shakespeare plays. The director hopes to bring different audiovisual experiences to the audience. The four pairs of lovers in the four stories show the theme of human eternal love. This is very similar to how people in contemporary society treat emotions. Perhaps audience members can find themselves here. In addition to laughter, you may also have a new feeling of love. The twelve actors on the stage are also twelve directors, each playing at their whim. They allow the audience to go into the theater and laugh out loud. If you want to experience a drama of joy and sorrow about feeling love, then you must watch this classic drama adapted from Shakespeare’s As You Like It.

― Audience Member

About As You Like It

Frederick usurped the Duke title of his brother (Rosalind's father) and forced the Duke into exile in the forest. Beautiful Rosalind had just fallen in love with kind Orlando when she was exiled by Frederick—she disguised herself as a man to flee and met Orlando in the forest by chance. Orlando saved his eldest brother Oliver—who had mistreated him, thus giving him a bad conscience—who fell in love with Celia. They helped Rosalind look for her father, and eventually found him. Frederick made amends for past misdeeds thanks to the directions of a hermit, and returned the power to his brother. Four pairs of lovers tie the nuptial knot, overcome evil with goodness, and achieve a happy ending.

About Yu Fengxia and Chen Tao

Yu Fengxia and Chen Tao are masters of directing, and young cutting-edge directors in China, the styles of whose works are diverse, with 40 works covering more than 20 styles, such as drama, musicals, Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera, Huangmei Opera, PingJu, Hebei Bangzi Opera, Huagu Opera. They have won more than a few provincial awards, such as the Excellent Director Award at the 13th China Drama Festival, the First Prize Director at the 4th Art Festival in Jiangxi Province, the Wenhua Director Award at the 13th Drama Festival of Henan Province, and more. The experimental modern play, TsingYi. Da. Vinci, written by and starring Yu Fengxia, was jointly directed by both of them in 2015, and was included in the national art grants-in-aid projects.

Credits

Original play: William Shakespeare

Adaptor: Yu Fengxia, Chen Tao

Director: Yu Fengxia, Chen Tao

Cast: Yu Fengxia, Guo Jianying, Hua Guohua, Wu Qiuxia, Hou Mingtao, Ma Zhao, 

         Chen Chuangqiang, Zhao Erhui, Zhang Chenghao, Yuan Xuening, Tan Junyuan, Li Xiaojia,

         Chenyu Kevin, Zhou Zihan

Stage Designer: Wu Wenchao

Light Designer: Ma Yunlong

Costume Designer: Wang Sumei

Make up Designer: Wang Jingbo

Stage managers: Yu Fenglan, Zhou Jian  

Subtitles: Xu Ran

About Yi Nuo Drama Studio

The members of the Yinuo Drama Studio all have rich experience in artistic creation across a variety of arts, winning many national and provincial awards. Attempts have been made since it was founded in 2014, to create work based on a combination of traditional culture and modern theatre.

Frequently performed works include the original plays Tsing Yi Da Vinci, Mercy, an adapted version of Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It, and so on. In 2015, Tsing Yi Da Vinci was included among the nationally funded art projects. For many years, the studios have been invited to participate with performances in the Beijing youth festival, the Shanghai International Art Festival (2017), the Taipei On Both Sides of the Small Theater Festival, and the National Theater Outstanding Drama Performance in Kunming.