Twelfth Night

Synopsis

Or What You Will. Shakespeare comedy of mistaken identity, practical jokes and unrequited love. Rescued from a shipwreck the twins Viola and Sebastian arrive independently in Illyria, both thinking the other is drowned. Viola disguises herself as a boy and finds employment with the Duke who is in love with Olivia. Malvolio is the subject of a cruel joke played on him by Sir Toby Belch (yellow stockings cross-gartered) leading him to believe that Olivia loves him. But Olivia has fallen in love with the disguised Viola, while she is in love with the Duke (following it so far?!).

Our Review:

Simon Tavener - 16 July 2009

Twelfth Night is probably second only to A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the list of the most popular of all of Shakespeare’s comedies. Indeed, this is the third production of the play in Oxford since May. Creation can usually be relied upon to bring a fresh twist and this is certainly the case with this production.

We have eight people who have been shipwrecked on a desert island and, in true Radio 4 tradition, they find they have a copy of the Complete Works of Shakespeare. A play is selected, parts are allocated and thus we begin. The costumes and props – appropriately for the central conceit – were derived from found and recycled objects. A neat framing device but one that left some audience members rather confused – once you had grasped it, everything slotted into place but was not as clearly conveyed as it could have been.

The rooftop amphitheatre of the Said Business School is an unconventional location but works well as an intimate space. It is, however, ve...

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Latest User Review

Jo Finnigan - 20 July 2009:

A magical and superb performance....

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