Twelfth Night: A Night to Remember

For those of us who can't run off to London and catch a play at the Globe, the Globe has now come to Broadway. For 16 weeks at the Belasco Theatre, an all-male cast of British talent are performing Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and Richard III in repertory. The production was widely acclaimed last year when they performed at the Globe; having seen Twelfth Night, I guarantee it will be just as acclaimed here in New York.

There are several reasons why this production offers an immersive Shakespearean experience. Let's begin with the fact that it strives for Elizabethan authenticity. The play is performed as it would have been in Shakespeare's day: the actors are all male, they are wearing intricate costumes fashioned from materials similar to what would have been used in the 16th and 17th centuries, the musicians are all using Renaissance instruments, and part of the lighting comes from 100 candles that are lit all over the stage and on the chandeliers. Arrive 20 minutes early because the actors participate in the standard Elizabethan pre-show ritual of dressing and being made up on stage. Which is no easy feat since they have to be laced and pinned and tucked in to their various costumes. 

Did I mention the play offers onstage seating? Which is how I ended up on stage, thrilled to bits as some of the actors amiably ambled over to chat and recruit audience members to hand them props once the play began. And that brings us to the actors. Who are just brilliant. It would be impossible to single out one performer because each actor waltzes out on stage, does something indescribably hilarious, and just when you think they're your favorite, the next one waltzes on and proceeds to makes your sides split. Perhaps the actors playing the women are particularly noteworthy, since you suspend your disbelief for three hours and are thoroughly invested in the gender-bending intrigues of the play. Samuel Barnett's Viola is sweet and desperate as she pines for the Duke; Mark Rylance's Olivia is demure and then increasingly frenzied as she falls for Cesario; and Paul Chahidi's Maria takes on a life of her own, eagerly plotting against Malvolio while lusting for Sir Toby. The men are equally charming and hysterical - Stephen Fry's Malvolio is bombastic, pathetic, and remarkable in those yellow stockings; Colin Hurley's Sir Toby Belch is a drunken delight; Angus Wright is a riot every time he walks on as the clueless Sir Andrew Aguecheek; Liam Brennan's Orsino pinballs between lovelornity and confusion; and Peter Hamilton Dyer ties the whole show together with his beautiful songs and wise foolery as Feste the Clown.

Twelfth Night was one of my favorite plays but I had never seen it performed. Now it will remain a favorite for a lifetime. This production manages to bring out the very best in Shakespeare - the set, the costumes, the music, and the acting all reflect what makes these plays such enduring and entertaining masterpieces. Everyone, from Shakespeare novices to experts, will be awestruck by this production and clamor for more. I strongly recommend the onstage seating option because it is an incredible experience (and available for the price of a rush ticket if you're lucky!). But whether you're sitting on the stage or in the last row of the balcony, you are guaranteed to have a soul-satisfying time at the theater. Just as Shakespeare intended.