The Royal Shakespeare Company has released the first production photographs of As You Like It, with Jonathan Groff making his RSC debut as Rosalind in Daniel Evans's all-male staging, which has its press night in Stratford-upon-Avon this evening.
The pictures, taken by Marc Brenner, land on the day of the press night, Tuesday 6 October, with the production already well into its previews at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. It opened there on Saturday 26 September and plays until Saturday 7 November 2026, with tickets from £10.
The casting is the headline. Groff, a Tony Award winner, plays Rosalind as one of seventeen men in the company. Fisayo Akinade is her cousin Celia, Elliot Barnes-Worrell plays Orlando and Greg Haiste is the clown Touchstone, while Gary Wilmot doubles the two rival dukes, Duke Frederick and Duke Senior. Richard McCabe, a multi-award-winning RSC Associate Artist, returns to the company as Jaques.
Completing the company are Giles Cooper (Le Beau), Jamal Franklin (ensemble), Steffan Harri (Gwilym/Syr Osian), Steffan Hughes (ensemble and vocal captain), Rhys Parry Jones (Corin, Hymen, a Lord at Court and a Lord in Arden), Edward Judge (Charles the Wrestler/Silvius), Gareth Kennerley (First Lord in Arden and ensemble), Luke McCall (Amiens), Tim Preston (Phoebe and a Lord at Court), Caleb Roberts (Oliver) and Gareth Snook (Adam/Audrey).
The plot needs little introduction. Banished from Duke Frederick's court, Rosalind sets off for the Forest of Arden with Celia to find her exiled father, and on the way turns herself into a young man named Ganymede. Orlando, who has also fled to the forest in fear for his life, runs into Ganymede, who promises to cure his lovesickness on condition that he practises his wooing on "him". In Evans's staging every role, the women's included, is played by a man.
Evans, who leads the RSC with fellow co-artistic director Tamara Harvey, said: “As You Like It asks for a company of actors who can embrace wit, singing and wrestling! I’m over the moon with our cast and can’t wait to revel in their generosity, curiosity and talent. Soon, we’ll be inviting audiences into our Forest of Arden to experience the transformational power of love!”
Behind the scenes, Evans works with set designer Anisha Fields, costume designer Colin Richmond and lighting designer Ryan Day, with Theo Jamieson as composer, arranger and music supervisor. Paul Groothuis designs the sound, Michela Meazza is movement director, Kev McCurdy directs the fights, Dr Will Tosh is dramaturg and casting is by Charlotte Sutton CDG.
It is not the only major As You Like It on stage this autumn: Shakespeare's Globe's production continues on Bankside until 25 October, and the critics' verdicts on it are gathered in our review roundup. Looking further ahead, the RSC has already announced its 2027 Stratford season.
