“As You Like It” at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey through September 29.

Ben Jacoby & S K Harris

To give its writer William Shakespeare his due: The title of Shakespeare’s comedy takes a lot for granted. With the ageless displays of invention and high spiritedness in what is commonly known as one of the Bard’s “joyous” comedies, it isn’t surprising to see  director Paul Mullins uproot it to the mid 20th century. 

In this instance, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey production, its first “As You Like It” in more than a dozen years, appears to be taking place somewhere in the north western American territory. Here, a winter-attired band of rugged-looking exiles have made it a home away from home.

I can’t imagine purists or the Bard himself objecting to the pastoral romances taking place among the barren wooden posts that presumably pass for foliage-free trees courtesy of the functional bi-level set designed by Brittany Vasta. Whether or not it conjures up the Midlands Forest of Arden is a moot point. 

After all, the dirty political doings are only an excuse for Rosalind masquerading as a man to win over the easily fooled Orlando; her cousin the devoted Celia to beguile the wicked Oliver; Touchstone to seduce the provocative Audrey; the disdainful Phoebe to settle for the lovesick Silvius; and for them all to be united in wedded bliss.

In this play, the characters willfully embrace life with  a mixture of silliness and sophistication. The plot takes off interestingly enough as Orlando, under threat of death, flees the court of Duke Frederick (Earl Baker, Jr.) and his cow-towing courtiers to find himself safe among a resourceful band of political outsiders. 

Among them is the dramatically over-the-top and self-servingly melancholy Jaques (Anthony Marble) who delivers the famously cynical speech about “the seven ages of man.” He has the job of upholding the play’s philosophy in the light of all the hanky-panky going on around him. Marble adds a refreshingly volatile aspect to Jaques giving the play its most recognizably human center. Marble is remembered for his terrific performance in the title role in “The Rainmaker” earlier this season.  

A very charming and convincing Safiya Kaija Harris mixed Rosalind’s ingrained wit and calculating adventurousness with a temperament that compliments this gal’s  upper-crust breeding. Winning the heart of the fair Rosalind after his impressive match with Charles (Jonathan Higginbotham), the Duke’s wrestling champ is the besotted Orlando, as commendably played by Ben Jacoby. He defines Orlando as an unconventionally vigorous boy-next-door-ish hero-at-large....even in suspender-supported jeans and a shoulder bag. 

Especially exciting is the kick-boxing that gives an added wallop to the fight scene as staged by Rick Sordelet. Nick Corley’s Touchstone brims to overflowing with innuendo. As the country wench, Elizabeth Colwell behaved as one might expect a Shakespearean slut to behave.

Devin Conway left no doubt the disdain she held for the impervious Silvius (Ryan Woods). Finding fault with Sarah Nicole Deaver’s unpersuasive interventions as Celia added nominally to my acquired tolerance for this rather long evening of “country copulations.” The popularity of  “As You Like It” through the years may baffle some, as it does me. But it nevertheless delivers a healthy, often comical, dose of the many facets of love...take it or leave it.