Rose of Athens Theatre

On a recent date night, my husband and I watched «As you like it» performed by Rose of Athens on the lawn of the Ashford Manor. We walked through lush English gardens with reflecting pools, overhanging trees, down brick stairs and across broad lawns, to come upon the little stage tucked away, like a secret find at the far end of the garden. There were young loves in fancy dress & starched shirts on picnic blankets tucking away the remnants of takeout chinese, older couples uncorking glasses of merlot over plates of lamb and potatoes, newlywed grad students in shorts & t-​shirts throwing back bottled beers, married couples pretending they were dating again holding hands after a delicious meal across the street (that would be us), and a general sense of merriment and kindness you don’t often find at too-​highbrow art performances.
But, this is no regular community theater performance… these folks are AWESOME. Really well done. Really well-​played and really accessible Shakespeare, with everyone in the audience (about 50 – it was an almost-​rainy night) laughing in all the right places.
A beautiful night, a funny story, a marvelous troupe, an appreciative audience, and wine… what more could you ask for?