"The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool." (V.i.30-31)

So says Daniel Crossley playing Touchstone in The Globe’s production of Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It, summarising this adaptation’s take on the play. Blanche McIntyre’s direction brings out the themes of intelligence and lack thereof, and how these lines become complexly blurred and crossed in matters of love, family and gender.

The midnight matinee format, which I anticipated would bring a kind of enigmatic magic to the Forest of Arden and its romantic twists and turns, was perhaps more of an inconvenience than an enlightenment: with the performance running to three hours and fifteen minutes, by the interval at 1:15am about a quarter of the theatre had emptied and another quarter were yawning for the final half. Nevertheless, the fatigue as the night wore on, and the rain showers, were endured as the secondary characters of fools and shepherds stole the limelight with their well-crafted wit and exaggeration.

James Garnon takes on the role of Mister Melancholy, otherwise known as Jaques, with brilliance, engaging with the audience in scenes which brought the loudest laughs and, indeed, bafflement at his philosophical ramblings. The famous ‘seven stages of man’ speech was a crowd-pleaser as well, performed with a very Jaques-like exasperation at the state of humanity. Another stand-out was the sometimes forgotten character of Celia; whilst, on the page, she can be overlooked in favour of Rosalind’s cunning and intelligence, Ellie Piercy here successfully brings Celia to life – a squealing girl over matters of romance but a courageous and supportive cousin when needed. Touchstone and Audrey’s coupling is delightfully bawdy, and the director's use of the medium of dance, including a surprise tap show, was a highlight.

That is not to overlook Michelle Terry’s portrayal of Rosalind. Despite losing her voice, Terry battled on, true to her character, with the slight huskiness of her voice adding to the cross-dressing and gender themes in a rather clever, if unintended, way. Essentially, the cast was the stand-out aspect of this production, but was aided by the impressive choreography, which took use of the whole stage area and the yard; the modernisation of props including a bike and shopping trolley, which added to the Forest’s mystery, and the use of song and music to add pastoral tones to a city venue.

The Globe yet again succeeds in making Shakespeare accessible to any audience, even if it is at 3am; and the quick wit of Terry, Piercy and Crossley allows for a thoroughly enjoyable and magical trip into the Forest of Arden on London’s Southbank.

'As You Like It' is being performed at the Globe Theatre until the 5th of September.