[NEohioPAL] Review of "Twelfth Night" at GLTF

[Bob Abelman]

GLTF's 'Twelfth Night' places fun at forefront

 

Bob Abelman

News-Herald, Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times, Geauga Times Courier

Member, International Association of Theatre Critics 

 

This review appeared in the News-Herald 10/16/09

 

Disguise and mistaken identity are favorite subterfuges in Shakespeare's comedies.  The differences between outer appearance and inner reality drive the storylines and inspire much of humor in The Comedy of Errors, The Merchant of Venice and As You Like It, among others. 

 

In Twelfth Night, currently in production by the Great Lakes Theater Festival at the Hanna Theatre, mistaken identity is the sole impetus behind the action and the comedy.

 

A pair of twins, brother Sebastian and sister Viola, are separated by a shipwreck and carry on their lives thinking the other dead.  Living in the coastal city of Illyria, Viola disguises herself as a man for protection and, calling herself Cesario, finds employment with the Duke of Illyria, with whom she secretly falls in love.  The Duke is in love with the Countess Olivia, and sends the cross-dressing Viola to woo her on his behalf.  The guarded Countess allows herself to fall in love with the disguised Viola.  When Sebastian happens into town, he is mistaken for Viola, is bedded by the Countess and then wed.  Viola, in turn, is thought to be her brother.

 

During the preview night production, mistaken identity took on new dimension when the actress playing Viola, Sara Bruner, succumbed to a back injury and Emily Leonard went on in her place.  With script firmly in hand, Leonard--listed in the playbill as a dancer--played Bruner playing Viola disguised as Cesario being mistaken for Sebastian.  Shakespeare would have been pleased. 

 

The audience certainly was.  Despite the short notice, Leonard was a trouper and delivered a viable Viola, managing to deliver her lines with meaning, maintain the frantic pace of this high-energy production and, most importantly, stay out of the way of the other performers.

 

All this was facilitated by director Charles Fee's vision for this production.  Twelfth Night's numerous subplots provide ample doses of both comedy and melancholy, allowing directors to balance the two or opt to go with one over the other.  GLTF's tendency-indeed, its reputation-is to go for the funny, and Fee embraces this big time in Twelfth Night. 

 

The impeccable comic timing and full-forward momentum that veteran cast members Andrew May, David Anthony Smith, and Ian Gould bring to the table easily overshadow the awkward presence of an understudy.     

 

As the Countess's cousin Sir Toby Belch and his moneyed drinking buddy Sir Andrew Aguecheek, May and Gould are given free rein to excavate all the comedy in the play and milk it for all its worth.  Their broad delivery and absolute comfort with Shakespeare's prose give rise to brilliant moments.   

 

Smith as Malvolio, the self-impressed servant to the Countess who foolheartedly believes he can rise above his station and win her hand, is hilarious. Throughout the play, Malvolio is subjected to cruel ridicule by Belch, Aguecheek and fellow servants Fabian and Maria, played wonderfully by M.A. Taylor and Laura Perrotta.  Smith's Malvolio is marvelously oblivious to their maliciousness and, thus, easy prey.  His reading of a letter of seduction supposedly written by the Countess but actually penned by Maria is priceless.

 

Keeping pace with these oversized performances are Eduardo Placer as Feste the fool and Kevin Crouch as Sebastian.  Lost in their dust is Jonas Cohen, as an overly subdued Duke, and Jodi Dominick, who's portrayal of the Countess is a work in progress.          

 

A penchant for comedy is just one element of GLTF's reputation.  So is spectacular staging, which is firmly established in this production by scenic designer Gage Williams, costume designer Star Moxley, sound designer Peter John Still and lighting designer Rick Martin.   They have created a romantic, textured Mediterranean backdrop, rich with Persian influences.  

 

Mistaken identity is central to many of Shakespeare's works, but there is no disguising the fact that this GLTF production of Twelfth Night, with or without its featured actress (who has since returned), is a joy to behold.

  

"Twelfth Night" continues in repertory with "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" through November 1 at PlayhouseSquare's Hanna Theatre.  For tickets, which range from $15 to $59, call 216-241-6000 or visit www.greatlakestheater.org.
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