I saw the play “As I Like It” this past weekend at the Macha Theatre. I was invited by Elizabeth Karr. I started to write a rather sophisticated and dry review of the work, but stopped myself. You reading this should probably be grateful for that. I have decided instead to write about the emotional impression the play left for me. Why do we go to the theater if not to experience some kind of effect as a human being?
The production is very unique and filled with symbolic suggestion. From the neon sign of a woman with money either in her lap or coming from between her legs, depending on your interpretation, to the way the lead actress begins and ends her performance. The play is also different in how it is cast. The lead character “The Woman” played by Elizabeth Karr, has a singing alter ego “The Singer” played by Lisa Zane. At key moments in the play “the Woman” talks about singing and in enters “The Singer” who breaks out into beautiful classical operatic pieces. At times “The Singer” is also joined in a duet with Charles Eliach who plays “The Boy.” As a gift the night I attended we were each given a CD with four of the songs recorded by the cast.
It is the story over all of a woman who does not have love. The closest she seems to have of someone who cares for her is “the Boy,” yet even that relationship is rather dysfunctional and disconnected. From my perspective I wondered if the lead character loved herself at all. I do not want you to think, however, that this is a dreary depressing dramatic piece. The language is filled with moments of humor and there is a perception that the character has had very human experiences that are interesting and entertaining. The overall portrait is of a woman who on some level has been neglected and abused and is constantly finding ways to overcome and survive and at times thrive. One must listen carefully to because what happens at the beginning in the first personal stories comes full circle in the end.
I found this work interesting in both the way it was done and in the symbolism the story portrayed of women struggling for the one word all women hold as magic- Love. This play is a show about one woman played using three people. It is also a portrait of what could be any woman’s journey in today’s society where pressures are high for self love that is unfulfilled when not based on true human connection from the heart. If we go through life trying to have people like us are we truly getting things “As I like it” or are we just fooling ourselves. As I watched this play it led to me thinking about my own travels in life, as I suspect it would lead any woman regardless of background to do. It made me realize something I already knew, that spending your life trying to get others to approve of you is no way to find what one truly needs. When those you want approval of abuse you there is no “As I like it” or love. Often we women especially lie to ourselves that someone loves us because we think we are getting what we need when we are only getting what someone else wants for us.
I hate to admit this, but the play is more complex than you can possibly imagine without seeing it and I would like to read it someday because I feel like I missed aspects of what was going on. Much of the language is very colorful and intelligent and witty. There are also very incredible monologue pieces for women throughout.