William Shakespeare’s beloved comedy As You Like It seems like a bizarre choice for inclusion in an experimental theater festival. That’s only the first of many surprises to be found in the New York premiere of playwright Cliff Cardinal's radical retelling of As You Like It, a fresh interpolation of the Bard’s classic story. This timeless tale of mistaken identities, gentle ruses, banishment and forgiveness takes on an entirely new meaning in the daring new retelling that the Toronto Star calls “sly, funny and charming.” Born on a South Dakota American Indian reservation, Cardinal’s Cree and Lakota heritage deeply informs his take on the play, which centers on the relationships between Indigenous communities and colonial settlers, where both sides continue to struggle to be clearly heard. When the curtains rise, you can be certain that it’s Shakespeare like you’ve never seen before and almost certainly never will again.
Presented in partnership with Under the Radar.
