Anyone who caught the Crucible’s recent production of King Lear may be forgiven for a slight sense of déjà vu if they are lucky enough to also get tickets for their current production of Twelfth Night. The excellent cast of the former return, swapping bloody tragedy for effervescent comedy. And, as with Ian McDiarmid’s Lear, they are joined by a high profile guest star in Matthew Horne, playing Malvolio.
This cast has had a long time to develop a rapport over the two productions, and it shows. This is Shakespeare at his slick, witty and energetic best, the dialogue fizzing along and the actors carrying the story (and the audience) along with ease. The versatility on display from the cast is remarkable. Particular standouts include Justina Kehinde’s Olivia, with her joyful transformation from standoffish recluse to a young woman discovering the full possibilities of love and sex. James Chetwood, who had already hinted at his comedic skills as Oswald in Lear, relishes the opportunity to show them off more fully as an utterly delightful, camp and silly Sir Andrew Aguecheek – a surefooted performance that gets every ounce of comic potential out of the script.
David Birrell is quite spellbinding as a fey, almost otherworldly Feste, demonstrating once again (after his compelling performance as Gloucester) his absolute command of the stage. And Katie Wimpenny has perhaps the biggest transformation of all, from the cold-hearted Goneril in Lear to a deliciously hyperactive Maria, jumping up and down in delight at her own cleverness and effortlessly raising the energy of every scene she is in. But this is an ensemble piece, and the entire cast deserve nothing but praise for their performances.
The production makes no bones of the fact that Horne is the star attraction, with the posters for the production featuring the Gavin and Stacey actor coquettishly rolling up his yellow stockings. It’s some pressure on Horne (especially following on from McDiarmid’s extraordinary Lear) but he delivers impressively with a confident performance that shows off both his well-established comic skills and first-class dramatic ability. He nails Malvolio’s transition from pomposity to ridiculousness, revelling in the chance to be the butt of the joke, before a deft handling of the character’s tricky final scene. Malvolio ends the play a broken man, and while there was some nervous laughter from the audience when Horne entered in his soiled yellow stockings, it gradually died in the face of his pitiful degradation. By the time he uttered his final line, swearing his revenge, he did so to an audience chilled into silence.
Director Jamie Glover makes astute use of composer Genevieve Dawson’s music, with live musicians on stage and haunting vocals delivered by Birrell. This opens and closes the show, and makes repeated appearances throughout – enough to add to the overall sense of being in a not-quite-real world, but never long enough to outstay its welcome.
As with Lear, a minimalist set (designed by Amanda Stoodley) is used to great effect, dominated by an enormous sun (and sometimes moon) that casts the stage in a rather ethereal light, supported by a lighting design that moves from soft, magical glows to harsh vertical pillars when Malvolio is imprisoned. Stoodley’s costume design is simple but effective, with twins Viola and Sebastian (Bebe Sanders and Harry Redding, both excellent) standing out in white against the darker colours of the other characters and an overall early twentieth century aesthetic that allows for both elegance and eccentricity as required. Charlotte Broom expertly choreographs the movement, with the use of two giant step ladders in the opening storm scene as a particular standout.
All the elements combine to make a captivating show that was rapturously received by the audience. This is how Shakespeare should be done. Snap up a ticket if you can.
Photos credit: Manuel Harlan
