By Ashley Allard
The time has come again, and your favourite troop of stoned thespians, Baked Shakespeare, has returned to Stellenbosch’s Courtyard Café, this time performing the renowned comedy, As You Like It. High school English lessons and exams tend to take the fun out of Shakespeare’s work but add audience participation and weed to a show in a student town, and you have the perfect night out.
Inspired by the Drunk Shakespeare Society, a British sensation where actors would take shots of whiskey during performances, Jack Maisel created Baked Shakespeare. Maisel decided to put more of a Capetonian spin on its origin by replacing shot glasses with bongs, and whiskey with weed. And it is a roaring success.
Before the show begins, the audience chooses two actors that will be the two designated stoners of the night. At any point throughout the play, five lucky audience members will raise a paddle and yell, “fie!” The play is immediately paused, and everyone claps and cheers as the selected actors must take a hit from a bong. And then the show must go on.
Because of this, each Baked Shakespeare performance is different and unique, but it is always hilarious. For this enactment of As You Like It, the character of Orlando (played by S’Qamo Mangcu) and Audrey (played by Erin Gemmel) were the selected stoners. The audience was not merciful, handing out two “fies” in rapid succession. By the fourth time “fie” was yelled out, Orlando struggled to stand, and Audrey could not stop smiling as she delivered her lines. But, the hilarity did not stop with the high actors; everyone’s performance was dramatically incredible.
Baked Shakespeare is the perfect way to reintroduce Shakespeare’s work as fun and light-hearted (at least his comedies) to the youth. With Shakespearian lyrics set to (off-key) modern songs and fun choreographies, occasional swearing and stoned giggles, As You Like It was easily fashioned to fit a young, modern-day audience. The cast must also be commended on their quick improvisational skills, which is necessary, given the circumstances. Even when loadshedding hit, the actors continued while the audience held up their phone flashlights. It is also evident that the cast has a strong sense of community and friendship, which makes the play even more enjoyable to watch.
If you happened to miss Baked Shakespeare’s first performance in Stellenbosch, do not fret. They are touring As You Like It until June. I suggest you get your tickets now for the performance of a lifetime.
One actor’s name in this article has been amended on 8 May 2023 to credit the correct actor portraying the role of Audrey in Baked Shakespeare’s rendition of “As You Like It”
