Daily Information (Oxford)If you've read one self help book too many and think love is all too complicated, head down to The Old Fire Station Theatre this week for some reassurance. The gender-bending antics and identity confusions of Twelfth Night should convince you that it has always been thus and you might as well laugh about it.
Shakespeare's popular comedy shows us love in all its peculiar guises. Twins Viola and Sebastian are separated by shipwreck, each believing the other to be dead. The siblings become identical when Viola cross-dresses to gain employment with a duke.
The duke Orsina loves the countess Olivia but she cares only for the disguised Viola, who in turn can think only of the duke. How will they get off this giddy lovesick roundabout?
In the meantime, the real comic action of the play is driven by the drunkards and commoners, who in their admirable dissolution set the festive tone of this production. Poor puritanical Malvolio who won't join them in the fun becomes the hilarious object of it. Those who are familiar with the play can be assured that the appearance of the infamous yellow stockings is as shocking and funny as could be hoped for.
Directors John O'Conner and Belinda Beasley have taken an interesting angle in this production by letting the subplot shine. Shakespeare's stories about fools and ordinary people can easily be lost on modern audiences conditioned to the straightforward Hollywood plot, but in this version of the play these characters are the most vivid and compelling.
Polly Mountain transforms the role of the servant Maria into a starring role through her vivacious stage presence, drawing the audience into her sprightly enthusiasm for the prank on Malvolio. Her giggling co-conspiritors John O'Connor as Sir Toby Belch and Richard Tallontire as Sir Andrew Aguecheek cavort, stagger and tiptoe through the adventure with infectious merriment. These three characters collectively diplay a rare stage charisma.
Matt Addis' shows great flexibility in his portrayal of Malvolio's shift from abstainer to abandoned suitor. However the final, very convincing character transformation of Malvolio into tragic hero at the end of the play seems strangely disjointed from the overall jovial tone.
In general the play is well-paced, capturing the rhythms of the language and illustrating some of the more antiquated Shakespearean phrases through intonation and gesture, this makes the play readily accessible for everyone. The set is harmonious and minimalist without seeming impoverished. There are no gimmicks, just sound, confident, polished acting. Likewise the costumes are simple and pleasing.
If you're looking for love in all the wrong places or if you just want to have a fun night out, the Cakes and Ale production of Twelfth Night is for you. Just be grateful that matters of the heart were even more complex in Shakespeare's time.
Reviewed by Hope Earl
Theatreworld Internet Magazine
Presumably written for a festive entertainment Twelfth Night is the last, and arguably the finest, of Shakespeare's comedies. It is in many ways a synthesis of themes from earlier comedies; identical twins, cross-dressing, shipwrecks and 'gulling' It is not however a cluster of moribund ideas put together by an indifferent author but an exciting and funny play full of energy and the love of life. Cakes and Ale, a new Oxford based theatre company, are dedicated in productions "in ways that are both simple, exciting and effective. They certainly hit the mark with this production that boasted freshness and vitality that brought out the best of this wonderful comedy.
Much of the Twelfth Night's humour emanates from the subplot that deals with the members of the household of Olivia (a very straight Fleur Putt) - Sir Toby Belch (John O'Connor), Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Richard Tallontire), and the clown Feste (Bill Moulford). All contributed an excellent comic timing and their use of topicality ensured that they never missed a moment. Their 'gull' the cruelly maligned 'kind of puritan' Malvolio was played with a hidden sensitivity that is sometimes lost in production. Malvolio's punishment is cruelty in excess of the offence and Matt Addis captured the plea for audience compassion and understanding.
Although the main plot characters, Deborah Morris as Viola/Cesario and Josh Howard-Saunders as Orsino, have appeal and acted superbly they are let down by the Shakespeare's over used plot devices. It is difficult to feel any sympathy for the rather wet characters leaving you eagerly awaiting the capers, wit and slapstick of the much more satisfying subplot.
In addition, stage design and lighting had a simplicity that did not distract, leaving the audience to concentrate on the dialogue and the many-layered plot, in tune with Cakes and Ale's declared mission. Overall, Twelfth Night was an excellently acted and lively comedy from this new company and I look forward to their next production.
Reviewed by David Stockton
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