THEATRE
By William Shakespeare, by
Australian Shakespeare Company
Botanical
Gardens Melbourne, Observatory Gate, until March 4, 2017
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars:****
Review also published in Herald Sun after Jan 13 2017 & in print (& online thereafter.) KH
It’s
difficult to beat a picnic under the stars on a balmy night in the Botanical
Gardens while watching a lively and colourful production of one of
Shakespeare’s romantic comedies.
For this
summer season, Glenn Elston directs a vivacious cast in a cheeky version of
Twelfth Night on an outdoor stage, with plenty of family-friendly slapstick,
live music, Shakespearean song and a touch of philosophy, all set during the
twelve days of the traditional Christmas period.
All the
elements of Shakespeare’s play are present: mistaken identities,
cross-dressing, practical jokes, wicked humour, interrupted romance and happy
endings.
However, Elston
takes some licence with Shakespeare’s dialogue and characters, peppering the
show with topical gags, swapping the gender of two characters and opening the
play with a merry, rewritten festive song that starts, ‘On the first day of
Christmas my true love sent to me – a shipwreck on the high seas.’
After
the aforementioned wreck separates Viola (Elizabeth Brennan) from her twin
brother, Sebastian (James Coley), she disguises herself as Cesario, boy-servant
to Duke Orsino (Charlie Sturgeon). Viola then falls in love with Orsino who adores
the grieving Countess Olivia (Syd Zigier) who, in turn, falls head over heels
for Cesario, the boy-girl. Get it?
The real hilarity in this
production comes from the madcap antics of Kevin Hopkins as the boozing,
partying, wild-haired Sir Toby Belch, and the dotty Anthony Rive as his foppish,
idiotic but moneyed comrade in drunken debauchery, Sir Andrew Aguecheek.
Their clownish routine
that includes ducking and diving (literally, in Rive’s case) and bobbing up and
down like sideshow clown-heads, is a fine example of classic physical comedy,
and Claire Nicholls as feisty Maria, and Louisa Fitzhardinge as Fabian, complete
the comic quartet.
A show highlight is Mark
Dickinson as Feste, Olivia’s jester, who comments on the chaotic, comic action
and love triangles with glib and witty jests, riddles and songs (music by Paul
Norton).
Dickinson captures
Feste’s wry, melancholy wisdom and, with his rich voice, fine guitar playing
and compelling presence, delivers Shakespeare’s famous songs that include a
country music influenced version of O Mistress Mine and the romantic lament, Feste’s
Song (‘With a hey, ho, the wind and the rain’).
Hugh Sexton is suitably
pompous, sneering and posturing as Olivia’s ambitious steward, Malvolio, who is
the butt of a cruel practical joke by Maria, Sir Toby and their cronies.
Elston’s effervescent, outdoor production contains
all the requisite romantic and comic chaos, musical diversions, celebratory drunkenness, mischievous
humour and outrageous revelry expected of the festive season – and you get to
eat snacks and sip wine!
By Kate Herbert
Cast
Elizabeth
Brennan - Viola
Hugh
Sexton - Malvolio
Claire
Nicholls - Maria
Syd
Zigier - Olivia
Charlie
Sturgeon -Duke Orsino
Mark Dickinson- Feste
Kevin Hopkins - Sir Toby
Belch
Si Andrew Aguecheek - Anthony
Rive
James Coley Sebastian
(twin)
Louisa Fitzhardinge - Fabian
Bryony Hindley - Antonia
(sailor was Antonio)
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