Scripps,
Don't let the reviews deter you. I loved AYLI. A lot of people around here and on the other site saw early previews and judged the production based on the work which was still in progress, a pitfall I avoided by spending the extra $10 and seeing it post opening. The major complaints seem to be its "darkness" (which I rather liked; it gave the play somewhere to go from Act 1 to Act 2 and I wasn't confused when the foresters were singing "Blow, blow thou winter wind". Usually its set in the spring or some Eden-like version of Arden and the song and Duke Senior's monologue about the harshness of the world they find themselves in makes no sense, not true in this production. The shift from winter to spring is lovely and helps rather than hinders the plot), and the "lack of comedy" which on the night I saw it couldn't have been further from accurate. The audience I saw it with was roaring, as was I. I actually liked the fact that I wasn't being pandered to and that the comedy came with some pathos and intelligence, it wasn't served to me on a plate. There are some problems and the show isn't perfect but it sure as heck isn't as bad as the nay sayers would have you believe. And Stephen Dillane's Jacques is the best I've ever seen. Along with some other performances that rank as the best I've ever seen those roles done. My advice: go! See both!
Updated On: 2/25/10 at 04:19 PM