As They Like It
Primary-age students from Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, Karori West Normal School, Clifton Terrace School and WHEN (Wellington Home Educators Network) will be putting their fresh slant on SGCNZ's Primarily Playing with Shakespeare 2017 (PPWS) production of "As You Like It". Co-Director/Mentor, Sarah Burton, commented, " It has been an absolute pleasure working with the groups over the past weeks prior to the holidays; I look forward to further contact in the lead up to the production."

Each group rehearses their scene/s in their own school or space, with Sarah making a few visits as and if required to mentor the teacher. Key characters are identified in the scenes, which are performed sequentially, by a costume garment of the same colour across all the groups.

Ideally suited for the very young, "As You Like It" moves from the family feud over the rulership of the court of the recently deceased Sir Rowland de Bois into the Forest of Arden, where Rosalind, daughter of the banished Duke Senior, and Celia, daughter of reigning Duke Frederick, flee with Touchstone, the court jester. To ensure their safety, Rosalind dresses as a young man and takes the name Ganymede, while Celia dresses as a common shepherdess and calls herself Aliena. Orlando, younger son of Sir Rowland, returns home to the court from the wrestling match, only to have his faithful servants, Alice and Adam, warn him about his older brother, Oliver’s plot against his life. Orlando also decides to leave for the safety of the Forest of Arden. Confused relationships ensue!

"This being the fourth of SGCNZ's PPWS annual productions, it is clear that there is a direct feed-through to our SGCNZ University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festivals and an increase in the depth of the foundation on which they base their interpretations at the secondary school level," said SGCNZ CEO, Dawn Sanders, adding, "However, there are still students who were only five when they first participated, who are equally eager to continue their involvement."

Ideal for children, parents, grandparents and general public keen to foster creativity and presentation skills from an early age, this rendition of "As You Like It" will include other elements of the arts, with a smattering of music and dance, as well as committed acting exhibited throughout.

Venue: Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, Marsden Avenue, Karori, Wellington 6011
Date: Tuesday 7 November 12.30-1.30pm
Tickets: Children $2.50, Adults $12, SGCNZ Friends $11
Bookings: www.Eventbrite.co.nz (Booking fee will apply) or via SGCNZ Office 04 384 1300; door sales available (CASH ONLY)
For further information contact Dawn Sanders 027 283 6016 or visit www.sgcnz.org.nz