Shakespeare’s As You Like It is probably one his finest romantic comedies that allows directors and actors pretty much a free hand in it’s interpretation. But the one thing it must have is pace, lots and lots of pace. Give it pace and the acting and words can become so energised that time, and the imagination, can take flight.

And that was the case with Michael Boyd’s new production at the RSC’s Courtyard Theatre. From the moment Orlando – played with joy and passion by Jonjo O’Neill – stepped onto the stage one felt that something special was going to happen. And when Katy Stephens’ Rosalind appeared, the long scenes she shared with O’Neill were quite breathtaking in their comedy and emotional chemistry – it was an acting fest. These two young actors are stars, present and future.

They were served superbly well by the rest of the cast, most notably Richard Katz’s Touchstone, who turned  the convoluted speeches allotted him by the Bard into breathless comedy routines that are wonderfully crazy, and not unlike a jazz musician giving an improvisational masterpiece.

It was also good to see RSC stalwart, Geoffrey Freshwater, handed the lovely, and meaty part of Corin, the shepherd, especially in the scene where he has to skin a real rabbit, as well as ignoring Touchstone’s antics: no mean feat; but Geoffrey’s perfect rural Shakespearean voice, and looks, were, as ever, a joy to behold.

But one of the real highlights of this production – and there are many – has to be Forbes Masson’s Jaques, whose retelling of Shakespeare’s Seven Ages of Man speech was beautifully, and masterfully done, bringing a freshness, and some real comedy, to this campfire story.

All in all this is one of the best RSC productions so far this year, and a reminder that when the RSC gets it right they excell.

For more information about this production and others go to the RSC site.