This is a
thoroughly enjoyable and infectiously energetic production, that benefits
enormously from the glorious open air setting of Chester’s beautiful Grosvenor
Park. A three sided playing area with a backdrop of towering trees, gently
swaying in the summer breeze, provided the perfect stage for a triumphant piece
of Shakespeare at his rib-tickling best. This is the story of shipwrecked
siblings Sebastian and Viola, and their romantic entanglements with Duke Orsino
and the lady Olivia. But ‘Twelfth Night’ really comes to life with the
shenanigans of the drunken and uproarious Sir Toby Belch (Jack Lord channelling
the spirit of the great Brian Blessed), his hapless sidekick Sir Andrew
Aguecheek (an excellent physical performance by Scott Arthur), and Olivia’s
puritanical sourpuss manservant Malvolio (Matthew Rixon).
Director
Alex Clifton mixes the slapstick elements with the more melancholic ones
perfectly, and succeeds in creating a wonderfully satisfying, yet bitter sweet,
evening of first rate entertainment. Krupa Pattani is a loveably perky Viola, and
combines well with Tom Radford’s matinee idol Duke Orsino. Lorna Beckett
creates a delightfully aloof Lady Olivia whose long legs turn to jelly when she
falls for Viola (who is pretending to be a boy), and later (luckily for her!)
easily transfers her feelings to Sebastian (a solid Haseeb Malik). As always in
a Shakespeare comedy, it is the Fool who plays a pivotal part in the
proceedings, and Chris Vincent camps it up gloriously as Feste the jester in
the style of an understated Kenneth Williams. Easily the most enjoyable scenes
are those featuring Sir Toby and Olivia’s servants; the permanently exasperated
Maria (Victoria Gee), Ellen O’Grady’s Fabian (think Father Ted’s Mrs Doyle),
and upper class twit Sir Andrew. Jack Lord is simply hysterical as Sir Toby,
and threatens to steal the show with his unrestrained energy and moustache-twirling
music hall theatrics. It is Matthew Rixon’s magnificent Malvolio who provides
the icing on the cake however, with his towering presence, affected walk (he
seems to glide across the ground as if on castors), and fruity delivery. Lord
and Rixon are a beautiful double act, and their ongoing feud results in some
hilarious face-offs.
As the
daylight faded, and the temperature dropped, Grosvenor Park revealed itself to
be a vital element of the production. Melancholia was in the air, and Feste’s
heartbreaking final song against the rustling of the leaves on the trees was
truly affecting. I loved it!
Originally published at www.thepublicreviews.com
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