Twelfth Night, or What You Will

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.

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?

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.

We won't go into the screenplay here...we're talking Shakespeare, after all. Now, the sets were very sparse, but then, this was live theater. So what can you criticise? The casting!!!

Paul Rudd is wonderful, just masculine and sexy and totally at ease with his dialogue and his role. I couldn't take my eyes off him when he was present, and missed him tremendously when he wasn't on stage.

But Helen Hunt? Whose idea was it to cast this brittle, TV-groomed actress in such a demanding role? The poor woman doesn't pull it off. She seemed to stamp around the stage like she was lost, that terrible wondering frown on her face making it look like she was trying to keep her lines straight. The magnificent Mr. Rudd looking twice at the asexual Miss Hunt? I don't think so. Their mismatching ruined what would have been a great presentation of this classic.

I'd still watch it again, though, for Paul Rudd.

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.