Review: TWELFTH NIGHT at Shakespeare & Company

TWELFTH NIGHT is a comedy by William Shakespeare that dates back to the early 1600s. The play was written as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season and thus the title.  In it twins Viola and Sebastian are separated in a shipwreck. Aided by a sea captain and thinking she is left alone in the world, Viola disguises herself as Cesario in order to enter into service to Count Orsino, whom she promptly falls in love with. The thing is, Orsino is in love with Olivia. Olivia is mourning the recent death of her father and brother. As a result, she is reclusive and interacts only with those in her inner circle that includes her uncle, Sir Toby Belch squire, Sir Andrew Aquechee, her handmaiden, Marie, steward, Malvolio, and the fool, Feste. Orsino sends Cesario (Viola in disguise) as his representative to visit Olivia and profess his love for Olivia who falls for Cesario.

As the sordid affairs of the love triangle play out, so too does a comedic subplot wherein Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, Marie and Feste conspire against Malvolio convincing him that Olivia is in love with him. An entertaining and humorous series of events ensues that director Kate Kohler Amory refers to as "a romantic frenzy that culminates in joyous paired-off marriages".

Shakespeare’s works are continually reimagined across literature, film, and theater to reflect modern societal themes. Modern productions often explore fresh perspectives, from futuristic settings to contemporary cultural lenses.  From Margaret Atwood’s prison-set Hag-Seed (a retelling of The Tempest) to the hit play Fat Ham (a queer, trauma-breaking Hamlet set at a backyard cookout), classic plots are frequently adapted into fresh, contemporary stories. Director, Amory says "our production reimagines this world as a magical, Celtic-inspired landscape driven by Irish music.  Our play begins with a dance and ends with a song, but in between, the "whirligig of time" brings disharmony through a shipwreck and the untimely death of a brother.  It takes the open-hearted Viola and the wise fool Feste to set the world back on its rails and return harmony to the spheres".  Regarding the subplot focused on Malvolio, Amory adds: "in our production, we explore Malvolio's humanity and the heavy cost of blind ambition and self-love.  This tragic foil to the romantic coupling serves as a reminder that, even in our current time of chaos, darkness must in the end give way to light. 

The well-balanced cast features a full complement of Shakespeare & Company veterans including David Bertoldi as Sebastian, Allyn Burrows as Malvolio, Rory Hammond as Maria, Tamara Hickey as Olivia, Nick Nudler as Feste, Kristen Peacock as Viola, “ranney” as Sir Toby Belch, Omar Robinson as Count Orsino, J. Austyn Williamson as Andrew Aguecheek / Valentine, and Ryan Winkles as Sea Captain / Antonio.

The creative team includes Associate Director Maddie Roth, Assistant Director Madeleine Rose Maggio, Set Designers Erika Johnson and Sean Sweeney, Light Designers Erika Johnson and Luke Willson, Costume Designer Govane Lohbauer, Sound Designer Liz Stanton, Voice Coaches Ariel Bock and Rory7 Hammond, Choreographer Kristen Peacock, Fight Director Ryan Winkles, Stage Manager Hope Rose Kelly, and Assistant Stage Managers Grace Goosman and Kathleen H. Soltan.

TWELFTH NIGHT is a fast-paced farce that may occasionally edge a tad over the top, but it is well designed, well staged and well presented.  The action often, approaching if not achieving slap stick in its nature, was well received and enjoyed by a diverse audience.  And let's just say that all's well that ends well. Pun most definitely intended.

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