AYLI Artist Profile: Robert Deike

Robert Deike (despite his youthful exterior) plays Adam and Sir Oliver Martext in Shrewd's upcoming production of As You Like It.

About Robert

Robert Deike is a tactical theatrical, parachuting into productions, quickly getting boots on the ground for rehearsal, all with the simple objective of surviving till the last curtain call. A veteran thespian with almost thirty years of theatrical service, Robert has seen action in the trenches of Stoppard, Dickens, Mamet, Johnson, Sondheim (where he was awarded the Purple Heart), and others, but the majority of his theatrical command has been spent prosecuting the ongoing (400 + years!) campaign against Iron Will, the West's most redoubtable (and white and male) playwright. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and you can find him (really, that's the easy part)... maybe you can hire Mister D!

"I pity th'Fool what doesn't scan their lines!"

Why Shrewd's AYLI?

As You Like It was the first play I ever performed in, way back in 19mumblemumble, as a Spring production at Shakespeare at Winedale. Ever since, the play has just impressed me with its embarrassment of riches. No character is too small, the token verse is vibrant, and the prose muscular but curvy. And much like "The Force Awakens", AYLI is really more about the characters than the plot. Add to this the Shrewd's cunning plan of freely blending up gender expectations throughout, and the happy result of all of this is a production I'm excited to be caught up within. That's why.