Twelfth Night (2001)
Directed by Matthew Bartlett
Performances: Tue 4th – Sat 8th December 2001, Bell Theatre
Contents
Introduction
An unparalleled box of Christmas treats, Shakespeare's most glorious comedy comes to the Bell Theatre stage in a production crammed with carols, snow and seasonal cheer!
In one of the most brilliantly tangled relationship webs ever woven, Twelfth Night tells the tale of Viola, shipwrecked and destitute on the shores of Illyria, who disguises herself as a boy (Cesario) and takes a post in the house of Count Orsino. Orsino sends her as his embassy to local Countess Olivia, who has stubbornly been refusing his amorous intentions. Olivia promptly falls in love with the proxy wooer Cesario, causing poor Viola, who has herself fallen in love with Orsino, to be attacked by a posse of Olivia's rejected lovers and family.
As well as the complicated love lives of his principal characters, Shakespeare fills Olivia's household with some of his most brilliant comic creations; her drunken Uncle Sir Toby Belch, his vainglorious sidekicks and friends Sir Andrew Auguecheek and Fabian, and her wise fool Feste (probably the only sane character in a land peopled by misfits and madmen!). Attempting to rule them all with a rod of iron and a withering word is her pompous butler Malvolio - who falls foul of the most hilarious plan of revenge!
Throw in Viola's identical twin brother Sebastian, and the stage is set for a series of comic confusions which culminate in a glorious reverie of mistaken identity and ultimate unmasking.
Set at the close of the 19th Century, this production features stunning period costumes by Alan Buckman, Jenny Bennett and Val Williams. With a Charles Rennie Macintosh set, a cornucopia of Christmas Carols, Mozart and Puccini, and falling snow, it promises to be one of the most beautiful shows seen at SLT for a long time. Join a cast of old faithfuls and exciting new talent for a hilarious yuletide revel which, like last year's Much Ado About Nothing, looks set to be genuinely unmissable.
Cast
- Olivia - Kay Dobby
- Curio, Orsino's court musician - Alan Walker
- Attendant, and court singer - Danielle Ingham
- Orsino, Duke of Illyria - Jack King
- Valentine, attendant on Orsino - Mark Frampton
- Captain, of Viola's ship - Jay Michaels
- Viola, from a neighbouring kingdom - Elinor Morgan Jones
- Sir Toby Belch, Olivia's uncle - Lionel Monks
- Maria, attendant on Olivia - Lisa Marsh
- Sir Andrew Aguecheek, wooer to Olivia - Liam Campbell
- Feste, Olivia's Jester - Mark Beavon
- Malvolio, Olivia's steward - Alan Buckman
- Sebastian, Viola's brother - Craig Carruthers
- Antonio, a sea captain - Paul Hurley
- Fabian, a local landowner - Chris Bennett
- Servant, in Olivia's household - Danielle Ingham
- Officer - Jay Michaels
- Priest - Alan Walker
Crew
- Assistant Director - Rosie McKeown
- Production Assistant - Andrew Rickinson
- Stage Manager - Jess Osorio
- Set Designer - Jenny Newstead
- Set Construction - Alan Buckman, Lisa Marsh and the Company
- Costumes - Alan Buckman, Jenny Newstead, Val Williams
- Lighting Designer - Mike Elliott
- Lighting Operator - Stuart Draper
- Sound Designer - Brian Fretwell
- Sound Operator - Alice Mill
- Poster and Front of House Board - Lucy Darkin
- Stage Crew - Pat Laban, Anna York, Sarah Archer
Reviews
Some review quotes go here
Gallery
- Photos by Tim Hinchliffe
Reminiscences and Anecdotes
Members are encouraged to write about their experiences of working on or seeing this production. Please leave your name. Anonymous entries may be deleted.
