“When you enter the woods, magic happens.” That is the first sentence in the Director’s Notes of The Queens Players’ fine production of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It. The talented troupe is the resident company at The Secret Theatre in Long Island City, New York, and it would not be an overstatement for me to paraphrase those words by saying, “When you enter The Secret Theatre, magic happens.”

As You Like It has always been one of my favorite Shakespearean comedies. It is a pastoral romance in which the characters, hopeful of “a better world than this,” escape the trials and tribulations of their surroundings in search of a more simple and rewarding life, through either their own choice or through forced exile. When one character laments, “Oh, how full of briers is this working day world,” she is stating the frustration of many and the desire to find solace in a society full of dangers and oppressions.

The comedy certainly has some flaws compared to some of the Bard’s other classics, such as an over-reliance on telling rather than showing key plot points. Many pivotal scenes occur out of the audience’s view, only to be retold after the fact (i.e. the first encounter between Touchstone and Jacques, the heroic saving of Oliver’s life by Orlando, the conversion of Duke Frederick in the end). It is not surprising that certain moments of exposition are the weakest parts of the production. The Queens Players, however, manage to take the many merits of the play to superlative levels, bringing the orchards and forest of the tale to comedic and dramatic life on the stage.

Do not let the name of The Secret Theatre intimidate you – it is not too difficult to find. Located at 44-02 23rd Street in Queens, it is a charming, intimate space. The simple set, designed by Gregory Cicchino, effectively represents the location. Four large tree trunks with a minimalist rendering of a leafy canopy above the stage evoke the estate of Oliver de Boys and the court of Duke Frederick. Placement of some colorful flowers at the roots of the trees and removal of black veneers to reveal a beautiful, detailed painting by Stephanie Stover are all it takes to transform the place into the idyllic woods of Arden.

Article Author: Kikstad

Nick Leshi is a writer, actor, and media professional who loves the world of entertainment, speculative fiction, and pop culture. Read his daily blog and let him know what you think.

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