Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night captures audiences in a hilarious love square

By Hannah Caparino, October 19 2024—

The Shakespeare Company is presenting the classic comedy, Twelfth Night, at The Studio space in Vertigo Theatre from Sept. 27 to Oct. 18. The plot follows Viola and Sebastian, twins who got separated from a shipwreck on the coast of Illyria, and their journey to find each other again. The classic play is a hilarious compilation of jokes and antics due to mistaken identities and miscommunication.

Audiences are brought into Shakespeare’s world as the stage displays a wooden caravan that is quickly disassembled by the cast members to form a small room that is placed in centre stage. After the quick set assembly, Viola, played by Helen Knight, is introduced to the audiences as a grieving and desperate sister who is still trying to get her bearings in the coastal town of Illyria. She assumes the job as a confidant and messenger for Duke Orsino, and adopts the identity of a young boy named Cesario who is sent to Lady Olivia’s home to persuade her into a relationship with the Duke. Knight is incredibly endearing as Viola and Cesario, balancing the perfect amount of earnestness and compassion.

While Viola interacts with a grieving Lady Olivia, Cesario uses all forms of will and speeches to try and sway Lady Olivia, but is ultimately unsuccessful. Instead Lady Olivia begins to fall for Viola’s false identity, Cesario. Alixandra Cowman portrays Lady Olivia’s affection for Cesario with a certain intensity and passion, using her status and manipulative ploys to keep Cesario around. Lady Olivia’s attraction to Cesario is all the more complicated as Viola begins to have feelings for the Duke, but is unable to say so due to her current position as Cesario. The theme of unrequited love from two perspectives are on display, and are portrayed in a playful manner showing how love is extremely fickle.

While the “A” plot of the show follows the love triangle, later a love square, the “B” plot consists of the comedic antics that are pulled by Olivia’s personal staff. Joel David Taylor plays the stiff and self-centered Malvolio, who is the sole victim of Sir. Andrew Aguecheek, Maria’s and Miss Toby Belch’s pranks. The comedic duo of Sir Andrew and Sir Toby, played by Daniel Fong and Jessica Ramisch, have great chemistry and carry many of the funny moments in the play. Alongside Fong and Ramisch, Taylor is a standout performer as his comedic timing and physical actions complements Sir Toby and Sir Andrew’s efforts to embarrass the servant and expose his love for Lady Olivia. Taylor also plays Sebastian, Viola’s twin brother who was believed to have drowned in the shipwreck.

Sebastian, like Viola, is sincere in his mannerisms by acting polite and respectable with many of the other characters. Through the actions of Antonio, Sebastian survived the shipwreck and was able to arrive in the town of Illyria. The play comes to a head as Cesario and Sebastian are consistently mistaken for one another by the other characters, resulting in a bungled sword fight between Cesario and Sir Andrew, Antonio’s arrest and a secret marriage between Lady Olivia and Sebastian (who she thinks is Cesario). The play ends with Viola revealing herself as Cesario and exposing her feelings for Duke Orsino, and Lady Olivia stays married to Sebastian.

The theme of boundless love was present throughout the entire play, exploring how the sibling love between Viola and Sebastian had continued to persist past the events of the shipwreck. The idea of love is also non-judgemental, as the love between Olivia and Sebastian’s, as well as Viola and Duke Orsino’s, is pure and simple. Show information and tickets can be found on the Shakespeare Company website.