After he certainly made a long-lasting pleasant impression  with his adaptations of the Bard’s plays  "Henry V” (1989), “Hamlet” (1996), “Much Ado About Nothing” (1993) and “Love's Labour's Lost” in 2000, Kenneth Branagh prepares to repeat the Shakespearian experience with the 2007 “As You Like It”.

His attempt to bring the plot in the contemporary society, without altering it into a cliché and diminishing its significance is materialized in setting the scene in Japan, in the second part of the 19th  century, a time when the Western influence and presence was felt there. Branagh assumed the price of moving the action in Japan, risking an unorganic whole impression on the play; if he wins or loses, however, it is you that will decide.

The story’s main theme is examining the power of love, entwining secondary ideas like treason and violence.  The beautiful Rosalind (Bryce Dallas Howard) flees from her uncle’s – Duke Frederick (Brian Blessed) court, to seek solace in the Forest of Arden, after he arranged a coup against his brother Duke Senior (also played by Brian Blessed).

The subtheme of family treason is recurrent, as is the same time brothers Orlando De Boys (David Oyelowo) and Oliver (Adrian Lester) confront about the rightful inheritance. The latter is also banished in the Forest of Arden. In order not to be recognized, Rosalind will disguise herself in a young man, Ganymede and this is how she will be able to test the love of Oliver, an admirer of hers.

The social conflicts, the shallowness of the craving for power is successfully highlighted in contrast with the nature that shelters those banished from the court. The grandeur of the Forest of Arden and the freedom it provides is the antinomy of the court with its limitative paper walls and the social machinations it includes.

The seductive Shakespearian comedy has the HBO premiere tonight; for those mesmerized, it will be also played in theatres in England.