If there’s any sort of an upside to an economic downturn that has sadly devastated the arts community, it’s that recession-proof theatergoers get a season full of crowd-pleasing favorites. Some will miss the experimental repertoire of a booming economy, but, regardless of Shakespeare Theatre Company’s economic motives, its current production of Twelfth Night is worth digging into your pockets for.
Regarded as one of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies, Twelfth Night begins with a shipwreck that’s left twins Viola (Samantha Soule) and Sebastian (Peter Katona) separated in the isolated town of Illyria. Fearing for her safety, Viola disguises herself as a man, calls herself Cesario, and secures a position in the Duke’s household. Cesario is charged with the duty of wooing the Countess Olivia (Veanne Cox) on behalf of the Duke (Christopher Innvar). Yet Olivia, who initially swore off men, has a sudden change of heart and falls in love with Viola–believing she is Cesario. Meanwhile, Viola has fallen hopelessly in love with the Duke, who still thinks that she is a man.
Cox is the brilliant drama queen of the show, playing the part of a prima donna with gusto and tang. The perpetually drunken and trouble-making threesome of Sir Toby Belch (Rick Foucheux), Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Tom Story), and Fabian (J. Fred Shiffman) also provides a healthy dose of side-splitting humor. Yet Floyd King’s performance as Feste—the wise, all-knowing, “allowed fool,” or the hired dunce—steals the show. Whether he’s singing love songs or pointing out the sad comedic truths of the play, King persuasively plays the part of a wise old fool, delivering his lines with sincerity, confidence, wit, and a sparkle of silliness in his eyes. Meanwhile, Soule, the star of the show, seems to channel Sarah Palin—blushing and flashing a cute smile instead of engaging in substantive theatrics. It’s not that she’s a bad actress by any means, she’s simply outshined by the powerhouse of zest, bravado, and maturity possessed by her fellow cast members.
Acting aside, Twelfth Night is a dazzling spectacle of costumes, colors, lights, and sound. Costume designer Miranda Hoffman summoned the fashionista in her, modeling her fantastic creations on Olivia and her three lady-attendants who scuttle around in a rainbow of fluffy cloud dresses. The sets of designer Riccardo Hernandez, made up largely of blown-up images of roses, gave the stage a slightly manufactured appearance. Yet, in the end, the absurd sets were scripted into the humor of the play, as actress Nancy Robinette (Maria) ordered the nosy trio of Fabian and Sir Toby and Andrew to “…go hide behind that weird rose-panel-thing,” as they spy on their nemesis Malvolio (Ted van Griethuysen). The constant drizzle of rose petals falling from the ceiling and carpeting the stage bordered on excessive, as it felt the American Beauty xylophone song would kick in at any second. In fact, there was a splash of music throughout the play, with actors mock-tangoing across the stage and King ending the show with a sweetly sung musical soliloquy.
TWELFTH NIGHT
Starring Samantha Soule, Veanne Cox, Peter Katona, Christopher Innvar, Floyd King, Michael Sharon, Nancy Robinette, Todd Scofield, J. Fred Shiffman, Tom Story, Ted van Griethuysen, and more. Written by Shakespeare. Directed by Rebecca Bayla-Taichman. At Shakespeare Theatre’s Sidney Harman Hall through January 4.
Every Tuesday starting at 10 a.m., the Shakespeare Theatre Company releases an allotment of $10 tickets to patrons ages 35 and younger. Tickets are for performances through the following Sunday. Also, $10 tickets for the matinee performance of Twelfth Night on either December 26 or 31 are available online.
are you offering to buy tickets, Eddie?
December 15, 2008 at 4:54 pmwhy would you think that was on offer to buy tickets, dear becca?
December 15, 2008 at 5:30 pmActually we’ve reviewed much smaller places. Besides Theater J, I’ve covered productions at the Gala Theater, American Century Theater, and Teatro de Luna–to name a few! And suggestions are always welcome!!
December 15, 2008 at 6:00 pmi did make a suggestion. andrea, my point is that you *mostly* cover large, more expensive theatre companies. the ratio is extremely heavy on the large, more expensive theatre side. i think your reviews are great, but you missed my point. you cover shakespeare theatre more than anything else and your tendency is to cover the bigger guys. it is not meant to be an insult by any means. i’m just pointing out that you have barely reviewed up-and-coming dc theatre and i think it would be nice for struggling theatre companies to get more exposure.
even american century is more expensive than every small theatre company i mentioned above. have a look – http://www.americancentury.org/singletix.php
and yes, gala theatre is on the smaller side, but *usually* you only cover prominent, well backed theatres. there is nothing wrong with that; i just wanted to see more coverage of the local, smaller companies. again, my suggestion and list of a few of these companies can be found in my first comment. thanks again for your reviews. i always enjoy reading them.
December 15, 2008 at 6:43 pmeddie, is someone making you say these things? maybe someone currently starring in “last days of judas iscariot”?
we have a very limited theater writing staff and we’re doing the best we can (p.s. we have also definitely reviewed shows at “catalyst” and DCAC, as well as a few other smaller places aside from the ones andrea listed).
actually, this can serve as a call for more theater writers if there are any out there?
like when I asked for food writers in a comment and we ended up with alex and alex.
December 15, 2008 at 6:48 pmsomeone *making* me say these things? no, svet. el chico cesar did not even mention anything about reviews on this site, but yes, that production he is in is pretty awesome. you should go, you would love it. i am not trying to be jerky, and if i am coming off that way i apologize.
i just know lots of people in theatre and go to lots of plays and i like seeing people who are lower on the totem pole get a boost, especially when the plays are worth it. i will now cease and desist. i want to reiterate that i like andrea’s reviews.
love,
eddie
ok, group hug. CALL FOR THEATER CONTRIBUTORS stands though.
December 15, 2008 at 7:03 pmThis play was spectacular.
If you’re not well-versed in Shakespearean language, you should definitely read up on the plot. Everything will make way more sense.
GO!
December 15, 2008 at 7:07 pmto all and sundry, please be BYT theatre contributors. I work for a local theatre and one of the only perks to working in theatre in this economy is the comp tickets. and I email byt people pretty regularly with offers to see shows at theatres around the city for a good discount or free (lord knows if you people actually take me up on the free tickets).
in short, I will hook you up. I would write theatre reviews myself but it would be an incredibly inappropriate conflict of interest, I’m sure.
DO IT.
December 15, 2008 at 9:42 pmi’ll do it.
don’t know much about theater but willing to write about the human condition as examined through it.
sounds fun.
December 15, 2008 at 11:38 pmI have been on hiatus for the past couple months due to GRE studying but I have written several play reviews. Its really not a matter of choosing bigger companies, its just how much we can handle and then review considering only Andrea and I cover plays. I saw two great shows at Catalyst and reviewed them,several at Shakespeare theatre, and one at Woolly Mammoth. I have a running list of plays I want to see all over the city ( including several smaller, up and coming theatres) but there just isnt enough time or there is a conflict .
My point is, we are not avoiding any of these places on purpose by any means. But we can make an effort to cover more in the future :)
Please do. Who is better than you. So long as others find your writings fun as well, I have nothing to say against it.
Incidentally, some dislike the theatre as being a primitive form; a form that smacks of medieval rites and communal nonsense despite the individual injections of genius, such as, say, Elizabethan poetry which a good reader automatically pumps out of the stuff.
December 16, 2008 at 10:07 amA few points of interest:
– If you are under 35, you can buy Shakespeare season tickets for $130 making the experience incredibly affordable…
– You don’t have to read the play before you go. Its ribald and simple. I followed it completely and easily without knowing anything about the play.
- Veanne Cox is girl crush amazing. She has the best falsetto voice and gets better in every play I’ve seen her in.
- The scenery is meant to be representative of the greater thematic messages in the play at large– the absurdity of the scenery is a reflection on the ability of the visual to deceive a la mistaken sexual identity. Therefore, the surreality of the set reflects the character’s surreal world where visual clues point one in the wrong direction— thus leading the audience to ask is the stage curved or is my own sense of proportion/intrigue/self confused? Therefore, the designer has masterfully positioned the audience in the same mindset as many of the characters.
- The costumes are not amazing in craftsmanship or design but they are beautiful in their color composition and ability to evoke emotional response.
- Theatre is primitive at its base it is one person telling another a story. Nonetheless, I can’t imagine how boring those people must be who think they are too good for simple amusements…
I’m done ranting now. See the show.
December 16, 2008 at 11:06 amchristina – “there just isnt enough time or there is a conflict .
My point is, we are not avoiding any of these places on purpose by any means”
totally understood and appreciated. after re-reading what i wrote, i guess i sounded accusatory, but simply meant to express a desire to see a broader range of coverage, which can only come from extra (wo)manpower and availability i suppose.
December 16, 2008 at 11:23 am
can we get some future coverage of some of the smaller theatre companies as well? i like your column, but i would like to see you give the little guys some cred, too. for example, ‘the last days of judas iscariot’ (still running on at h street playhouse) is pretty fucking good.
every time i’ve read ‘play dc’ it has been about a play from a large theatre company (you know, a theatre company who already has a very large, permanent space and plenty of financial backing?) the smallest company i have ever read about on here is theatre j. wtf? how about constellation, rorschach, alliance, catalyst, source and quite a few others who do great work, but probably could use a little more plugging than signature theatre, wolly mammoth, studio theatre and shakespeare theatre company? plus, i guarantee the tickets are WAY cheaper at these places (like ten dollars ALL the time, not just for specific groups at specific times).
just sayin’
nice review, by the way. seriously. which is why i would love to see you give the little peeps some recognition occasionally.
December 15, 2008 at 4:29 pm