Review - Twelfth Night

Essential Theatre Present:

Twelfth Night

By William Shakespeare

Director – Amanda LaBonte

Costume Designer – Amaya Vecellio

Production Manager – Sophie Lampel

Tour Manager – Grant Foulkes

Musical Arrangements – Tom Heath

Original Music – Kevin Hopkins

Fight Choreographer – Myles Tankle

Cast

Sharon Davis – Olivia

Jean Goodwin – Viola/Ceasrio

Jack Dixon Gunn – Sebastian/Valentine

Grant Foulkes - Malvolio/Sea Captain

Tom Heath – Orsino/Sir Andrew Aguecheek

Helen Hopkins – Fese/Antonia

Drew Tingwell – Sir Toby

Cariad Wallace – Maria

(Various vineyards – check website for details.)

What a treat; a delightful tight and fast paced production of Twelfth Night with all its surprises and vagaries.

Who wouldn’t want the opportunity to experience a truly unique relaxing evening with a group of friends and friendly acquaintances, in a vineyard with a picnic, some fine wine being entertained by a troupe of energetic and captivation actors.  Essential Theatre productions are worth searching out.  And this years offering is no exception.

Twelfth Night under the direction of Amanda LeBonte is acutely timed.  An excellent set of skilled performers delight the audience in a brisk show.  As with most Shakespeare, this tricky little story, should be ‘read up on’ by the uninitiated.  Of course - if you already know the tale you can just sit back and delight in this particular rendition that, according to its director, is about the experience of love.  And yes #loveislove.  However it also highlights the potentially funny and devastating effects manipulation and bullying can produce by reducing a person to a laughing stock.   Another pertinent issue for our times.

Jean Goodwin’s Viola, the character the narrative pretty much pivots around is very solid and appropriately engaging.  Sharon Davis almost lifts from the ground in her enthusiastic passion for Viola disguised as a young gentleman.  Ms. Davis feminine physicality is entrancing and feeds beautifully into her character’s climax of meeting and throwing herself at Sebastian (Jack Dixon Gunn).

Tom Heath presents a lovely straight sensitive Orsino and contrasts this delightfully with a wacky self obsessed Sir Andrew Aguecheek.  Meanwhile Grant Foulkes as the rather viciously tormented Malvolio is fabulously silly in his obsessive dedication to his is Lady Olivia.

Maria played by Cariad Wallace is bright, lively energetic and uncomplicated naively unkind character.   Ah the vicissitudes of youth!

Helen Hopkins always inspires the sense of confidence that emanates from her as an experienced and well-tuned actor.    Her characters and characterization serve the piece to a T.  Her beautiful singing voice seems to set the note and tune for the other performers.

Drew Tingwell in the guise of the company elder introduces the company and, in the instance of the evening at Rowanstan (winery) on the Track at Glenhope, explains how they will deal with the possibility of inclement weather.  Very fortunately we are not rained out and Mr. Tingwell is able to delight us with that old rascal Sir Toby who is always in his cups but never out of control.

Costume design (Amaya Vecellio) in varying shades of black and white and grey works a treat.  The only use of vivid colour is in Malvolio’s gaudy yellow tights.  However I have to say that I would love to see Helen Hopkins’ jester character also adorned in a more flamboyant multi-coloured garment.

Great show – highly recommended.

I’ll be back next year for Midsummer Nights Dream.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)