Production photography by Brett Boardman.
Twins are washed up after a shipwreck onto the shores of Illyria, both unaware of the others survival. Like A Midsummers Nights Dream, there seems to be a dream like spell over Illyria, where everyone is in love with the wrong person, girls are boys and boys are girls, where knights are ignoble, puritans become lustful, drunks are philosophical and the Fool is the wisest of all. Every character is an oxymoron.
Shakespeare deeply understands one of our greatest frailties, the capacity for self delusion. In his tragedies the delusion leads the protagonist to a blasted heath or even worse, death. In his comedies scales of delusion fall from characters eyes, everybody has their proper place in the universe and they are in love with the right person.
To add to the confusion manifested in the play, TWELFTH NIGHT is not about Twelfth Night. It could be ‘WHAT YOU WILL’. The twelfth night after Christmas was traditionally the Greek Orthodox festival of the Epiphany but medieval Anglicanism turned it into a night of revelry where the lower classes could for twenty four hours let off steam from their feudal or meagre existence. Peasants became lords and washerwomen became dames, often mocking the upper classes.Therefore, when Shakespeare’s audience were attending the play’s premiere in 1602 they were probably expecting a play full of romping japes and merriment.
Eamon Flack’s direction reflects this anticipation, firstly following the original script as closely as possible and emphasising the exuberance and veracity of the play, despite recent interpretations highlighting the homo-erotic elements, in particular Malvolio.
I think Eamon Flack has hit the right note by motivating the stellar cast to ramp up the humour to excess and emphasise witty nuances as much as possible. The cast in turn seem to devour Shakespeare’s play with gusto, wrapping their lips around the deliciousness of the words, sucking as much juice out of them as possible.
Michael Hankin’s glistening right angled set, lit artfully by Nick Schlieper, set off the sumptuous colours of Stephen Curtis’ renaissance style costumes including Sir Toby Belch’s exagerated codpiece and Sir Anthony Aguecheek’s ill fitting wig.
For me, the sign of a great Shakespearean performance lies in the actor freeing him or herself from the iambic pentameter and making the dialogue sound current and fresh as the day it was written. Flack’s cast carries this out admirably and makes his gamble to stick with the 1602 text pay off. It is hard to single out any individual actor as they are all skilled in their performances but will mention several who gave me particular pleasure.
Debutante Nikki Shiel’s spirited Viola brings warmth and amiability to the role. John Howard inhabits the drunkenness of Sir Toby Belch, accompanied by Anthony Phelan’s Sir Anthony Aguecheek’s foppishness and stupidity. Peter Carroll is outstanding as puritanical turned deluded suitor, Malvolio. Carroll is astonishing when he does a frenetic and energetic Fred Astaire like series of spins across the stage, resuming his dialogue without missing a beat. Despite being given the nasty and most ungracious of lines, Carroll gives Malvolio a melancholia and antipathy which is mirrored by Nikki Shiel’s Viola’s mourning her brother’s loss. This lightness and shade gives this performance an unexpected depth amidst the revelry.
Playing the part of a Greek chorus, Feste the Clown observes and comments on the narcissism of the characters around him with wit and perception. I am not being patronising when I praise disabled Keith Robertson’s performance as Feste. His diction and timing is superb, his comic or sad facial expressions are mesmerising, and his mellifluous voice is captivating. It is such a commanding performance that you think his wheelchair is a prop rather than an aid as he masterfully wheels his way around his fellow actors. Flack has him twice emphasise the theme of the play – ‘NOTHING THAT IS SO IS SO’.
The other famous quote from the play is ‘if music be the food of love, play on.’ So I must mention composer Alan John’s newly minted songs for this production. Gone are the Elizabethan madrigals that usually accompany Shakespeare’s songs. The tunes are given a more modern bent, aiding in the comprehension of the lyrics that are beautifully sung by Emele Ugavule playing the part of Antonio.
There was much laughter from the audience on the night I attended. In a word – delightful.
TWELFTH NIGHT is playing upstairs at Belvoir street until September 4.
http://belvoir.com.au/productions/twelfth-night/
