Read the reviews of Twelfth Night below or alternately leave your own review in the comments section at the bottom of the page!
THE STAGE – REVIEW by Kevin Berry
Shakespeare’s tale of shipwrecked twins and romantic confusion is given sublime treatment by a young cast and a young creative team. Seasoned Shakespeare watchers might consider this production amongst the very best Twelfth Nights they have seen. This reviewer certainly does.
There is a deliciously dreamy atmosphere and exquisitely played music. One side of the stage is a gymnasium, with wall bars and a vaulting horse, the other has part of a colonnade. Gentle shades of brown and cream are lit as if by a waking sun. Costumes are early Edwardian, with big boots where necessary. The stage is set for romance and mischief.
Danielle King as Viola and Jacqueline Wood as Maria, stand out in a cast brimming with talent. They each move so well, they all move so well. King is assured and resourceful, sharing the plot’s confusions with the audience. Her fellow actors are visibly responding to the strength and emotion in her performance. When she voices her feelings her voice thrills.
Wood’s conniving servant girl steers the mischievous scheming with a smirk in her heart. She dominates the excellently played Toby Belch and Andrew Aguecheek, Blair Plant and Paul Westwood. The resulting comic antics are fun and fresh, cleverly inventive and played with admirable skill. They are something more than broad farce.
Director Juliet Forster has this Twelfth Night beautifully poised. The exact degree of sadness, the exact degree of regret. She clearly knows this play inside out. She has a deserved triumph on her hands.
