Twelfth Night...

[fajrdrako]

The Company of Fools is presenting Twelfth Night this summer. I went last night with auriaephiala, Beulah, and Beulah's friend Peggy. It was performed outdoors in the Hintonburg Community Centre Park, a nook near Wellington and Fairmont that I'd never known existed. It's in back of the old St. Francis of Assisi church, with high stone walls all around it, and ironwork inset into the stone walls, and the words HINTONBURG over the gate. Very atmospheric. Good location for Shakespeare. And, despite earlier thunderstorms, it was a perfect evening for a play - breezy and not too hot. In fact, I put on a heavy shirt and a jacket, and I was still cool. What a nice relief from hot weather.

Now, the Company of Fools spares no effort to bring out the silliest silliness from Shakespeare, and I was left thinking, "I never realized Twelfth Night was quite that ridiculous." The last production I saw was a Stratford Festival production of it, which was - well, maybe not exactly dry, but I don't remember laughing. I laughed a lot at this lowbrow presentation, and I think Shakespeare would have, too.

Highlights:

• Good diction on the part of all the actors - they were very clear, easy to hear and to understand. Their singing did not match up to their other talents, unfortunately. There was a lot of bursting in to song, and the sillier the better - "My kind of town, Illyria...."


• The actress playing Viola, Cesario and Maria was both talented and cute.


• It is the first time ever that I have found Sir Andew Aguecheek hilarious rather than just perplexing. Come to think of it ... it may be the first time I've found Malvolio really funny, too.


• The costumes were sort of thrown-together, but very effective, especially the Viola/Cesari/Sebastian outfit, which looked nicely suitable to c. 1600.


• There was a cute 9-month-old boy watching the play with his father not far from where i was sitting. He sat with huge eyes, soaking in the production. Mesmerized. Happy. I wondered what he was making of it. Ah, well, get 'em while they're young. There were a lot of children there who were having a great time, and laughing a lot.


• They played the relationship between Rodrigo and Sebastian as slashy, and it was funny to see Rodrigo's melodramatic heartbreak when Sebastian chose Olivia. But Orsino looked rather fickle in his sudden change of affections from Olivia to Viola - I guess I shouldn't think about that too hard.

Problems:

• No programmes. I always like programmes. I want to know who I'm watching doing what. Especially if faces are familiar.


• I would have appreciated better 'how to get there' instructions on their website.


• None of the actors were garden implements this year.

Twelfth Night always makes me think of the musical Your Own Thing, which I was quite taken with as a teen. I know the Twelfth Night dialogue better from that musical - and the recording of it - than from any knowledge of the original play. I wonder if it's available on iTunes?

I sent email to the Company of Fools asking for a cast list, and they sent it to me, as follows:

a Company of Fools
Torchlight Shakespeare: Twelfth Night
Directed By Margo MacDonald

In Front of the Curtains
(in alphabetical order)

AL Connors... Duke Orsino, Sir Toby Belch
Karol Czarny... Fool, Priest, 2nd Officer
Richard Gélinas... Antonio, Valentine, Malvolio
Tracey Guptill... Viola/ Cesario, Maria
Stavros Sakiadis... Sebastian, Sir Andrew Aguecheek
Emmanuelle Zeesman... Captain, Olivia, 1st Officer

Behind the Curtains
(alphabetically by first name)

Set Design & Poster Design... AL Connors
Volunteer Coordinator... Alix Sullivan
Front of House, Production Assistant, Props.... David Hersh
Music Director and Choreographer... Emmanuelle Zeesman
Costume crew.. Erica See, Glynis Ellens. Louise Hayden, Monica Browness
Stage Manager... Erin Finn
Media & Matinee bookings... Lisa Twardowska
Set, Costumes & Prop Design.. Louise Hayden
Production Manager, Administration, Props... Scott Florence
Fight Choreography... Stavros Sakiadis
Volunteers
Artem Barry * Patricia Coyne * Terry Cullinan * Lucie Duval Bradley
Fetter * Alec Halil Jessie Huggett * Brian Lunergan Graham O’Connor *
Marsha Ostrovsky * Alix Sullivan * Yao Yuan

Comments

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

The last Twelfth Night I saw was a Christmas production a few years ago at the National Arts Centre. I remember John Koensgen as a particularly wonderful Malvolio. It was quite funny, but a bit more nuanced than last night's.

The Company of Fools singing was certainly loud and good-natured, but a bit flat.

I loved how they highlighted the slashiness of the Rodrigo/Sebastian relationship. Now that is not a typical Twelfth Night -- but all for the better.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The last Twelfth Night I saw was a Christmas production a few years ago at the National Arts Centre. I remember John Koensgen as a particularly wonderful Malvolio.

I'm sorry I missed that!

Now that is not a typical Twelfth Night -- but all for the better.

The text certainly warranted it. Fun.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

Have you seen the movie version? Edwardian Cornwall, complete with a "Baedeker's Illyria."

And a rather slashy Sebastian/Rodrigo, too [g].

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Do you mean this one (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117991/)? No, I haven't seen it. How'd I miss it? Definitely something to look for. Ben Kingsley as Feste... I can't even picture it. Nigel Hawthorne as Malvoloio. Wow. I must find it.

Good news: the public library has a copy. So I should be able to watch it soon.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

Yes, that one. Ben Kingsley is a marvelous Feste (and he sings beautifully). The rest of the cast is lovely, too.

And the sight gag with the sundial... And nobody does a better dropped jaw than Helena Bonham Carter. I was astonished [g].

Hee. Let me know what you think of it.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I can hardly wait!

I love Ben Kingsley. Don't get to see him nearly enough.