Introduction

The commentary at the centre of this Handbook introduces students to the play as it would be experienced in performance. Other sections provide basic information about the text and its first performances, a brief description of the main political and cultural currents of the time and the popular kinds of entertainment, drama and comedy.

Extracts from several comedies and Shakespeare's immediate source, Thomas Lodge's Rosalynde, together with all important elements of performance, case studies of key productions and a survey of critical writings on As You Like It, make this a comprehensive and wide-ranging study.

Research for this publication was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.