Twelfth Night

This charming production of an old favourite is a pleasant way to spend an evening.  Set in an undetermined time, the costumes are both bright and appropriate to the characters (credit to Heather Spong and her team), and the set design by Quentin Mitchell creates a modernist space lined with shiny, folded plastic for us to project our own imaginations on.

The comic characters are among the strongest I’ve seen at a Rep production: Sam Hannan-Morrow as a wonderful Sir Toby Belch, Peter Holland as the perpetually-confused Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Kate Blackhurs as a marvellous Maria (one of the best I’ve seen) and Michelle Cooper as Fabian. They all exhibit clearness of diction, sparkling wit, and quick movement.  Tim Sekuless as Feste the jester brings lightness and wisdom to the stage. Eleanor Garran is a delightful Viola in a demanding role. Jerry Hearn brings both gravitas and pathos to the role of Malvolio, and his facial and body expression at his ruination is a mix of pathos and bathos. 

The sound and lighting design both complement the set and the action, and neither is overdone. The choice of music is sometimes a bit excessive. More care needs to be taken with both projection and diction in several of the speeches, given the language and the need to be heard clearly without straining the larynx.

All in all, this is a good production and moves along quickly, showing the skill of the directorial team and all those involved in bringing this classic play to the stage in the 21^st century.

Rachel McGrath-Kerr

Images: (Top) Left to Right:  Michelle Cooper (Fabian), Sam Hannan-Morrow (Sir Toby Belch) & Peter Holland (Sir Andrew Aguecheek) and (Lower) Left to right:  Ann Mitchell, Kate Blackhurst & Lainie Hart.

Photographer: Ross Gould.