Following the triumph of last month’s production of King Lear at the Crucible, the second instalment of Sheffield Theatres’ Shakespeare double bill had big shoes to fill. Jamie Glover’s new adaptation of Twelfth Night is an ambitious undertaking, but one that delivers in spades, offering plenty of laughs alongside more emotional and provocative moments for a truly immersive theatrical experience from beginning to end.
As twins Viola (Bebe Sanders) and Sebastian (Harry Redding) find themselves separated on an unfamiliar island after being shipwrecked by a brutal storm, they encounter a bizarre cast of characters in a topsy-turvy world of infinite revelry and chaos. What follows is a fast-paced and endlessly funny tale of mistaken identity, unrequited love and a cruel joke gone too far.
Set against a warm orange sun on a minimalist stage, Shakespeare’s quick-witted dialogue is given plenty of room to breathe in Glover’s reimagining. One of the production’s greatest strengths lies in its ability to deliver Elizabethan comedy as humour fit for the modern day, with occasional confused glances to the audience and perfectly timed pauses making some of the play’s most effective comedic moments. It is Milow Twomey’s Toby Belch, Katie Wimpenny’s Maria and most strikingly James Chetwood’s Andrew Aguecheek that rightfully steal some of the deepest belly laughs, appearing perfectly at home in their roles and embellishing the play’s more lewd and bawdy elements.
Mathew Horne’s puritanical Malvolio offers a welcome dose of farce throughout, and effortlessly delivers the play’s comedic climax as he parades across the stage in the famous cross-gartered yellow stockings. Beginning as a hilariously pompous and exaggerated figure who harshly condemns the merriment of others, Malvolio is gradually reduced to a shadow of his former self by Toby Belch and his mischievous crew. It is here that Glover’s adaptation confidently leans into the play’s darkest moments; as the door slams shut on an imprisoned and tormented Malvolio, the audience is left questioning why they themselves were fooled into finding humour in a man’s misery and misfortune.
Music is central to both the plot and atmosphere of Twelfth Night, and it is always a joy to see how every adaptation reimagines Shakespeare’s lyrics through original compositions. Musical director and composer Genevieve Dawson flawlessly captures the mood of each scene with guitar, clarinet, and violin, weaving the musicians seamlessly into the action throughout.
The music is most haunting when it accompanies David Birrell’s standout performance as Feste, a well-dressed fool who always appears to know more than he lets on, and whose melodies hint at a world that exists beyond the play’s narrative. Glover cleverly bookends the production with Feste’s closing song, ‘The Rain it Raineth Every Day’, which reflects on the bittersweet passage of time. By introducing the song at the beginning, he subtly suggests that Feste and the musicians may have evoked the ‘wind and the rain’ that ultimately sets the play’s events in motion. These ‘meta’ moments leave the audience asking questions long after the play finishes, and offer a fresh take on the well-known plot.
Jamie Glover’s Twelfth Night is a spectacular adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most tonally complex plays. It boldly interrogates why we laugh at others’ expense, explores how social hierarchies might be reimagined and does not shy away from the queer subtext that is so integral to the play’s lasting relevance in the modern day.
An immensely entertaining and rewarding production that offers something for every audience member.
4/5
