Theatre is political by nature, and productions always reflect the age in which they are born. This is especially true in the case of Hungarian socialism, where, after the 1960s, cultural policy left some freedom for theatres and reviewers; thus, doublespeak, stating the truth in a hidden form, was a well-tried mode of speech. This paper investigates four socialist productions of As You Like It together with the historical context: one in 1949, near the end of the communist takeover; one in 1954, at the height of hard-line communism; one in 1964 after the crushed Revolution of 1956; and one in 1983, near the end of socialism in Hungary. As You Like It, which first reflected the general optimism of socialist people and served to boost the morale of the nation in building socialism, gradually became a play representing the economic, moral, and political passivity and helplessness of the country. Each production had its unique characteristics, and each closely reflected the period of Hungarian socialism in which it was born.