At the same time Duke Frederick is greedy for taking over the rulership of his older brother Duke Senior. After taking over control he banishes the legitimate ruler, Duke Senior, who flees into the Forest of Arden followed by three loyal noblemen Amiens, Jaques and a Lord.
Rosalind, Duke Senior’s daughter, stays with her best friend and cousin Celia at the court of her uncle. There she meets the nobleman Orlando and they fall in love with one another. But shortly after they have met, Orlando has to flee into the Forest of Arden in fear of his older brother Oliver who threatens him with death.
Meanwhile Duke Frederick is annoyed by Rosalind instead of Celia receiving all the people’s attention. This is reason enough for him to banish her, too.
Not wanting to part, Celia and Rosalind decide to dress up and flee into the Forest of Arden to look for Rosalind’s banished father.
To ensure the safety of their journey, Rosalind assumes the dress of a young man and takes the name Ganymede, while Celia dresses as a common shepherdess and calls herself Aliena. For their amusement they take the foul Touchstone from Duke Frederick’s court.
In the Forest of Arden they meet Orlando who does not recognize them as the Duke’s daughter and niece. Rosalind, as Ganymede, claims to be an expert in exorcising lovesickness and promises to cure Orlando of his feelings for Rosalind if he agrees to pretend that Ganymede is Rosalind and promises to come to her every day.
Besides Rosalind and Orlando there is the shepherd Silvius who loves the shepherdess Phoebe. But Phoebe loves Ganymede (the dressed up Rosalind). Celia meets Oliver who as well was banished by Duke Frederick and changed his attitude after he has been rescued by Orlando. It was love at first sight. And even the foul Touchstone has an affair with goatherd Audrey.
In the end Rosalind gathers all the various couples for a multiple-wedding: Silvius and Phoebe, who accepts Silvius after finding out that Ganymede is Rosalind, Celia and Oliver, Touchstone and Audrey, and Orlando for herself.
According to Jaques de Bois, second son Sir Rowland’s, even Duke Frederick regrets everything he did and returns the country to the hands of Duke Senior. A happy end. But who would believe that Duke Frederick changed his mind after he banished almost everyone from his court…?
Confused yet? Because of all these names and characters and crossing relationships and gender-swapping and love affairs? “We that are true lovers run into strange capers; but as all is mortal in nature, so is all nature in love mortal in folly.“ (Touchstone) - curious now? Read the play, it’s worth a laugh!
For the members of the drama-group it was not only fun to work on this play because it is a comedy of errors but also because of it’s witty dialogues. Which doesn’t mean they had an easy job to do. Several times they spend more than just one afternoon per week, including weekends, on the play - not only rehearsing but also working on language, stage design and costumes.
But in the end the group was rewarded for all this work and nervousness with six successfull performances. And nothing can make actors happier than pleased spectators. This is reason enough for the group to start working on a new production due in February 2005.
So what’s up next in the schedule of “Projekt 75”? Who knows? But one thing is for sure: ”All the world’s a stage and all the men and women are merely players.” (Jaques)

Lisbeth Hanses and Sarah Lange

last change: 10.03.2004 16:09