Twelfth Night, or What You Will

Nicholas Hytner's production of "Twelfth Night" was performed in the summer of '98 at Lincoln Center in New York. I was lucky enough to see the play (from the front row), and it was spellbinding. The TV version (broadcast on PBS' "Live From Lincoln Center") was just as magical. It's a very funny play, and the incredible lighting, sets and music (especially Feste's songs) make it an experience I'll always remember.

I have enjoyed Helen Hunt in numerous productions and liked Paul Rudd in "Clueless", but was quite unprepared for their transformation in this lovely rendition. The staging, music, and direction all conspired to make this one of the most enjoyable productions I have seen.

When it was broadcast on PBS I taped it more as a matter of course than anything else, having no idea what a mesmerising and alluring production it would be of one of my favourite plays. Since then I have been jealously guarding my increasingly decrepit tape from the predations of my friends, and hoping against hope that it might be released on DVD or at least videotape so I could have a more enduring copy (and so could my friends). Any chance that will happen?

I thought this was a wonderful performance. The set was rather lacking but some how that added to it and let your imagination run.

I enjoyed the acting. When I first saw this I had never read the script and yet I understood everything the actors were saying (because let's face it...Shakespeare is hard to understand and perform).

Helen Hunt's performance as Viola amazed me. She was very well into character and even added humor to her part without over doing it or not doing it enough. Kudo's to her. My same comment to all the other actors in the cast. They did a great job with their performance (and even though it was Shakespeare I went "wow") but Helen Hunt seemed to stand out.

I give the entire performance 9.5/10 but I thought this was one of the best Shakespeare performances I ever have seen.

Although this production has a comparatively complete text, some good comic bits, and a number of well-known faces, the costumes and sets were peculiar, and the acting was inconsistent.

Andrew was both pathetic and silly; Feste was the perfect fool who is not perfectly foolish; and Malvolio was so thoroughly serious that he became remarkably funny.

Olivia, Viola and Orsino were less successful. Orsino's readings were effective, but he lacked the romantic energy that makes the part believable; Viola's performance was acceptable but never electric; and Olivia overacted her way into high energy and almost out of the part.

Still, as a filmed version of a stage production, it is humorous and occasionally touching.

THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2018 Twelfth Night (Live From Lincoln Center) Twelfth Night (Live From Lincoln Center) 1998 5/5 stars

This is a tale of twins, Viola (Helen Hunt) and Sebastian (Rick Stear), who are separated by a shipwreck. Viola disguises herself as a man (Cesario) and becomes an attendant to Duke Orsino (Paul Rudd), with whom she falls in love. He loves Olivia (Kyra Sedgwick), who in turn falls in love with Cesario. The plot is further complicated when Malvolio (Philip Bosco), Olivia's steward, is tricked into believing that she is in love with him.

This production is superb, played naturally and with joy and verve, emphasizing the humor of the play. Hunt and Rudd have good chemistry, adding spice to their relationship. Bosco is wonderful as Malvolio, playing comedy and drama with equal skill. David Patrick Kelly made an entertaining fool (Feste). The best performances were from Brian Murray (as Sir Toby Belch) and Max Wright (as Sir Andrew Aguecheek); their comic timing, expressions, and gestures were perfection.

My only complaint is with the play itself: so many subplots have to be tied up in the last act that it feels unwieldy at times. This was handled well by the director (Nicholas Hytner), so that it wrapped up smoothly.