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AS YOU LIKE IT

A new outdoor production from The Watermill Ensemble

By William Shakespeare 
Adapted by Yolanda Mercy 

Thu 24 Jun 2021 - Sat 24 Jul 2021

All performances take place outside in The Watermill garden. All seating is socially distanced, with aisles and space between reserved seating areas.  


'These trees shall be my books…' 

Enter the forest, reconnect, and celebrate the joy of nature in this lively, uplifting production from the critically acclaimed Watermill Ensemble. 

Using responsibly sourced, repurposed, or recyclable materials to create the set, props and costumes, Shakespeare’s famous pastoral comedy will be brought to life in a production that celebrates the unique environment of the Watermill gardens. 

Forced to leave their homes behind, Rosalind and Orlando find sanctuary in the forest of Arden. Amongst whispering trees, their worlds collide, and they become entangled in a game of love, lust and mistaken identity.

What follows is a riotous adventure with a feisty heroine in disguise, feuding brothers, love poetry and laughs aplenty! Will love conquer all, or is it merely a madness?

With an atmospheric modern folk soundscape, inspired by the music of Mumford & Sons, Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver and Taylor Swift, experience the magic of As You Like It in the dappled forest of The Watermill Gardens.


Running time: approximately 2 hours including 20 minute interval

Age Guidance: 12+
Unfortunately we cannot admit children aged 3 and under.

Tickets: £25 per person.

Book an individual seat, or select a table for two, four or six people. Best availability is for tables of 4. All seats at a table must be purchased in a single transaction.

All seating areas on the lawn are wheelchair accessible, although tables near the path (beside the exit) may be more convenient. Please refer to the online seating plan or call the Box Office for guidance.


Aged 18–30 years? Limited number of £15 ‘Solo’ seats available for every performance (usually £25).

Enter the promotion code GAR15 to claim £15 tickets. Select a yellow seat on the seating plan and the offer will be applied at the final stage of the checkout journey. (Offer applies to single seats only, £15 tickets are not available on table seating. Proof of age may be required.) 

 

Accessible Performances 

Audio Described performance: Saturday 24 July at 2pm, Touch Tour at 12.30pm.

To reserve a headset for the performance and to book your tickets, please contact the Box Office on 01635 46044.

We have taken steps to ensure a comfortable and relaxed environment for all, and welcome you to make use of the grounds to move around or take a break during performances should you need to.

 

The Great Outdoors 

This performance takes place outside and will go ahead whatever the weather. Seats in the garden are uncovered, so we recommend you bring appropriate clothing. You may also wish to bring a cushion and blankets.

 

Dine at The Watermill

Make the most of your time at The Watermill with a pre-show two course meal, or perhaps indulge in a cream tea after the matinée. Visit our Food & Drink page for more information about our locally sourced menu created especially for the run of AS YOU LIKE IT. 

Please note: Only food and drink purchased at The Watermill may be consumed on the premises. Unfortunately, picnics are not permitted.

 

Social Distancing and Safety Measures

All current government guidelines apply throughout the season. There is limited access to indoor areas, with a one-way system and hygiene measures in place. Face coverings will be required in indoor spaces, unless exempt, and in some circumstances outdoors, depending on Government guidance at the time of the performance. Staff will wear face coverings when in close proximity, such as when checking tickets or serving food. For more information, read our FAQs.

 

 

 

Directed by Paul Hart

Dramaturg and Adaptation by Yolanda Mercy 

Set and Costume Design by Katie Lias 

Movement Director Anjali Mehra   

Lighting designer Tom White

Sound designer Tom Marshall

 

Assistant Director Alexandria Anfield 

Assistant Movement Director Maddy Brennan 

Audio Describer Joanna Myers


Deputy Stage Manager
Alice Barber

Assistant Stage Manager May Curtiss

Work Placement Assistant Stage Manager Caitlin Ravenscroft

Work Placement Prop Maker Frankie Dowers

Sound Operator Thom Townsend

Sound Number Two Kieran McGuire

Emma Barclay

Touchstone

Emma studied at Drama Centre London and Cambridge University. 
Watermill credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth and One Million Tiny Plays About Britain. 
Theatre credits include: Babe the Sheep-Pig (Polka Theatre and National Tour); Honk! (National Tour); One Million Tiny Plays About Britain (Jermyn Street Theatre); Comedy of Errors and Doctor Faustus (Cambridge Arts Theatre). 

Omar Baroud

Silvius/Duke Frederick

Omar trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Television & Film credits include: Baptiste (BBC) and The Innocents (Netflix).
Theatre credits include: Antony & Cleopatra Workshop (Shakespeare’s Globe); A Song at Twilight (Theatre Royal Bath); All Places That The Eye of Heaven Visits (Shakespeare’s Globe); Shirleymander (The Playground Theatre); The Last Ones (Jermyn Street Theatre). 

Emma Manton

Jaques

Theatre credits include: The Gruffalo (Tall Stories); The Jungle Book (Watermill); His Dark Materials (National Theatre); The Life & Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (Chichester Festival Theatre, Gielgud Theatre, West End and Toronto); The Heart of Robin Hood (RSC); His Dark Materials (Birmingham Rep); Hitler’s Canary (Watford Palace Theatre); The Cat in the Cupboard (Little Angel Theatre); Love’s Labour’s Lost/Love’s Labour’s Won (RSC, revived at Chichester Festival Theatre, transferred to Haymarket Theatre, West End); The Christmas Truce (RSC); Confusions and Hero’s Welcome (Stephen Joseph Theatre); The Cherry Orchard (Union Theatre); Uncle Glen’s Managerie (Arcola Theatre); The Wind in the Willows (New Vic, Stoke on Trent).
TV credits include: Doctors, Casualty, Silent Witness, Grandpa in My Pocket (Shrinking Cap Productions); Blank Canvas (Red Wire Media); Cul de Sac (Working Title) and The Office (BBC TV).
As a Producer, Emma has worked with the National Theatre on Moving Stories.
She was awarded the 2017 Olwen Wymark Theatre Encouragement Award by The Writer’s Guild.

Chanelle Modi

Celia

After leaving The Brit School, Chanelle Modi trained at The Oxford School of Drama on the three-year acting course. She made her first television debut in 2019 in Silent Witness (BBC). Prior to this, Chanelle joined the West End cast of All about Eve at The Noel Coward Theatre. Chanelle Modi recently played her first lead in We Jump Together (Short).

Katherine Jack

Rosalind

Television credits include: Hollyoaks (Lime Pictures); Cobra (Sky); The Salisbury Poisonings (Dancing Ledge/BBC); Bleak House (Slam TV / Sky Arts); Coronation Street (Granada); No Offence (Abbott Vision/C4).
Theatre credits include: An Inspector Calls (PW Productions); Agamemnon (Cambridge Arts Theatre); Love's Labour's Lost (The Willow Globe); Hamlet (Shakespeare Association); Two Gentlemen of Verona (Cambridge Uni / America Tour); Noises Off, A Midsummer Night's Dream Footlights, Three Sisters, Spring Awakening, Pool (Cambridge University); Babushka (Cambridge Uni / Edinburgh Fringe); The House We Grew Up In (Soho Theatre).

Ami Okumura-Jones

Phebe

Theatre credits include: Treasure Island (Octagon Bolton) and WITCH WITCH WITCH (Camden’s People Theatre).
TV credits include: EastEnders (BBC – 9 episodes); Midsomer Murders (ITV) and Kitti Katz (Netflix).
She features in award-winning short film Round Round Baby Round Round. Ami trained on the Acting & Contemporary Theatre course at East 15, graduating in 2019. She is also a co-founder of theatre company Meat Lab. 

Yazdan Qafouri

Oliver

Watermill credits include: The Wicker Husband
Theatre credits include: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Southward Playhouse) The Band (The Royal Haymarket & UK Tour); Aladdin (Churchill Theatre, Bromley).
TV credits include: Let It Shine (BBC)

Ned Rudkins-Stow

Orlando

Ned is a graduate of the Actor-Musicianship programme at Rose Bruford.
Watermill credits include: Assassins, Robin Hood, Crazy For You, Romeo and Juliet
Theatre credits include: Twelfth Night (Wilton’s Music Hall); Crazy For You (UK Tour); Posh (Barons Court Theatre); Jack and the Beanstalk (Stafford Gatehouse Theatre).

Jamie Satterthwaite

Duke Senior

Jamie trained at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Previous Watermill Credits: Macbeth, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, Romeo & Juliet
Theatre credits include: Edward II (National Theatre); The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd (Orange Tree); POSH (Nottingham & Salisbury Playhouse); The Duchess of Malfi (Nottingham Playhouse); The Spanish Tragedy (Old Red Lion Theatre).
Film credits include: Doorman (Double Dutch International); Charismata (Loose Canon Films); The Courier (Rollercoaster Angel Productions); Shopping Channels and Toy Men (Pinpoint Films)
TV credits include: Mr Selfridge (ITV) and Casualty (BBC).

Tom Sowinski

Adam

Tom graduated from Rose Bruford College, having gained a BA (Hons.) in Actor- Musicianship. He also trained at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and New York Film Academy.
Watermill credits include: Camelot, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Mini Summer Night’s Dream, Kiss Me, Kate.
Theatre credits include: Cilla – The Musical (UK and Ireland Tour); The Glenn Miller Story (London Coliseum); The Buddy Holly Story (UK Tour); Roll Over Beethoven (Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch).