Shipwrecked twins parted at sea. A duke scorned by the woman he pursues. A young woman in disguise, unable to profess her love for her master. A motley backdrop of drunk knights, a stern steward, a devious maid and a jester. Twelfth Night’s long enduring appeal comes at no surprise; spanning the spectrum of love and heartbreak, the play is both funny and moving.
Director James Boucher’s minimalist style puts the spotlight on the core of the comedy – its characters, each one of whom shines through with a memorable performance despite the large ensemble. Josie Stephens deftly navigates the fluidity of Viola’s role, slipping in and out of her disguise as Cesario effortlessly while retaining the femininity of the original character. Natalie Oh manages to capture both Countess Olivia’s haughty air in her exchanges with Duke Orsino, as well as the playfulness of her dialogues with Cesario.
In a true Shakespearean style, the supporting cast provides much needed comic relief amidst the drama of unrequited love. Pavan Rao’s Feste is refreshing as the countess’ jester, with impeccable comic timing and musical performance. Delmar Terblanche deserves a special mention for his rendition of Malvolio – the scene where he is pranked into wearing yellow stockings had the audience in splits and is definitely one of the play’s highlights.
Yellow stockings aside, the costumes are all carefully curated and a crucial element of character building. Viola and Sebastian’s matching costumes create an interesting visual parallel, especially in scenes where they are mistaken for one another, and make the scene where they reunite a lot more striking.
With a stripped down set, the production relies on music to create setting. The soft guitar only adds to the intimate, circular seating of the venue. At first it is funny and jarring to hear contemporary music like Hotline Bling, Leaving on a Jet Plane, and Havana featured in a Shakespearean production, but it also made the play more relevant and relatable for its audience, reminding us of the timelessness of the Bard’s work. As Boucher says, the play is, above all, about love – and has there ever been a subject more eternal or as extolled?
It is unfortunate that the show only runs for a week and will probably have ended by the time this review is published. Nevertheless, we hope the Drama Society’s promising start to the term spills over to its next production: Sweeney Todd.
