In focus: Steven Pimlott 1996

Pimlott's lively production mixed traditional costumes with an industrial metallic set and occasional fake snow.

Two young women, one dressed as a boy in Elizabethan costumes, one reads a letter aloud — Rosalind (Niamh Cusack) and Celia (Rachel Joyce) laugh at Orlando's love poems, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

IMAGINING ARDEN

Director Steven Pimlott and designer Ashley Martin-Davis set the action on a bare stage with artificial metal trees. The audience was encouraged to use their imagination: "Ashley Martin-Davis evokes the court through a background of ribbed aluminium, while the forest itself, snow filled in the early scenes, is suggested through silvery poles of Russian birch." Michael Billington, Guardian, 26 April 1996.

PUZZLING PLAY

In an interview with Robert Smallwood for the programme, Pimlott noted how the constantly changing nature of the play defied interpretation: "it is the sum of its parts, like a jig-saw puzzle".
The critical reception was mixed but the performances were praised, especially Niamh Cusack's unaffected and attractive Rosalind, Liam Cunningham's vigorous Orlando, David Tennant's droll Touchstone and John Woodvine's poignant Jaques.

Production photos

Adam (John Quayle) tries to stop Orlando (Liam Cunningham) from throttling his brother Oliver (Sebastian Harcombe), As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

Touchstone (David Tennant) and Rosalind (Niamh Cusack) in Duke Frederick's court, As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

Celia (Rachel Joyce) consoles her friend Rosalind (Niamh Cusack), who pines for her banished father, As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

Orlando (Liam Cunningham) supports an exhausted Adam (John Quayle), As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

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Desperate for food, Orlando (Jaques) threatens Jaques (John Woodvine), As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

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Jaques (John Woodvine) criticizes Orlando (Liam Cunningham) for being in love, As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

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Orlando (Liam Cunningham) meets Rosalind (Niamh Cusack), disguised as Ganymede, As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

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Orlando (Liam Cunningham) and Rosalind (Niamh Cusack), As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

Launch Gallery

DESIGNS ON ARDEN

Designer Ashley Martin-Davis mixed traditional Elizabethan costumes with a minimalist non-naturalistic set. The changing seasons were signposted with rural imagery: "Winter has straightforward snowfalls, but the idea of spring's renewal is given the visual counterpoint of flattened daffodils on the faithful servant Adam's grave; while the play's growing intrigue is accompanied by gradual forestation as silver poles are lowered from the flies (plot and stage thicken together). Graham Hassell, What's On, 30 October 1996. In a departure from Shakespeare's plot, the faithful servant Adam died as Jaques spoke the Seven Ages of Man speech.

A young man looks down on a young boyish woman sprawled on the ground — Orlando (Liam Cunningham), Rosalind (Niamh Cusack) and Celia (Rachel Joyce), 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

Set designs

Set design sketch for Act 1 Scene 2 (Duke Frederick's court) of As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Set model for Act 1 Scene 2 (Duke Frederick's court) of As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Set design sketch for Act 2 Scene 4 of As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Rosalind and Celia, disguised as Ganymede and Aliena respectively, enter the snowy forest of Arden.

Set model for Act 2 Scene 4 of As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, featuring a circle of metallic trees in a snowy landscape.

This ground plan of the Royal ShakespeareTheatre shows the positions and number of trees to be placed on stage during the 1996 production of As You Like It.

Directed by Steven Pimlott © RSC Browse and license our images

Set design sketch for Act 4 Scenes 2 and 3 of As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre. In the forest glade we see the carcass of a deer, which the lords have killed, much to the consternation of Jaques.

Set model of Act 4 Scenes 2 and 3 for As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The dead deer is clearly visible in the forest glade.

Launch Gallery

Costume gallery

David Tennant wearing his harlequin costume as Touchstone, As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

David Tennant's red and green harlequin costume for Touchstone, As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Costume designed by Ashley Martin-Davis © RSC Browse and license our images

Costume design sketch by Ashley Martin-Davis showing the harlequin outfit worn by David Tennant as Touchstone, As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Harlequin coat, shirt and breeches worn by David Tennant as Touchstone, As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Rosalind (Niamh Cusack) and Touchstone (David Tennant) wearing formal costumes in Duke Frederick's court, As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Rosalind's court dress was made from blue/black shot silk taffeta with gold puffs between the catches and jet bead decoration.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

Costume design sketch by Ashley Martin-Davis for Rosalind's (Niamh Cusack) court dress, As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Costume sheet detailing all the components and accessories for Rosalind's (Niamh Cusack) court dress. The top left shows sample materials for the petticoat, corset and dress.

Petticoat pals: Rosalind (Niamh Cusack) and Celia (Rachel Joyce), As You Like It, 1996, Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Here you can see the cream embroidered corsets and petticoats worn under the formal court dresses.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC Browse and license our images

Launch Gallery

Theatrical poster for As You Like It 1996 showing the back view of a half-naked woman adjusting her hair

CAST AND CREATIVES

COMPANY

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

Brian Abbott - Dennis

Doreen Andrew - Hymen

Raymond Bowers - Monsieur le Beau, Sir Oliver Martext

Colum Convey - Duke Frederick

Arthur Cox - Corin

Liam Cunningham - Orlando

Niamh Cusack - Rosalind

Simeon Defoe - William

Robert Demeger - Duke Senior

Nathaniel Duncan – Court Lord 1

Susannah Elliott-Knight - Audrey

Colin Farrell - Forest Lord 1

Joseph Fiennes - Silvius

Mark Gillis - Jaques de Boys

Victoria Hamilton - Phoebe

Sebastian Harcombe - Oliver

Rachel Joyce - Celia

Ross O'Hennessy - Charles

Emma Poole - Hisperia

John Quayle - Adam

David Tennant - Touchstone

Simon Westwood - Court Lord 2

Blair Wilson - Amiens

John Woodvine - Jaques

CREATIVES

Director – Steven Pimlott

Designer – Ashley Martin-Davis

Lighting Designer – Mimi Jordan Sherin

Music – Jason Carr

Movement – Liz Ranken

Fight arranger – Terry King

The RSC's archive is held at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. You can visit the Library and Archives there to look at production related information, including photos, videos of shows and stage management documents:

Shakespeare Centre Library and Archive homepage

You can search the RSC catalogue here:

RSC performance database

IMAGINING ARDEN

PUZZLING PLAY

Production photos

DESIGNS ON ARDEN

Set designs

Costume gallery

CAST AND CREATIVES

COMPANY

CREATIVES

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