Viola and Sebastian, who are identical twins, wash up in different places on the post-war shores of Illyria each thinking that the other is dead. Viola disguises herself under the alias of Cesario in order to work for Orsino, who is in love with Olivia. Olivia is in mourning for her brother and is not interested in Orsino. But love will do what it will and when you add a fool, a drunkard, a secret admirer and a lady’s maid to the mix, further chaos ensues…

The play is thought to have been written around 1601/1602 but wasn’t published until Shakespeare’s First Folio in 1623. According to the RSC: “Twelfth Night signals the end of the Christmas season…a time of revelry…the norms of society were inverted”, which makes the timing of this production apt for the season. The Orange Tree has a long history of working with the Bard’s material outside of the main stage by running “one of the oldest Shakespeare-in-schools projects in the UK”. However in-house performances of his work are few and far between, with this production marking the fourth Shakespeare show in the theatre’s history.

The design of this show is striking. From the minute we enter the theatre, we are confronted by memorial plaques being displayed from the upper level. The copper glow of the rotating stage area should give a sense of warmth, but in contrast to the black piano, which sits pride of place in the centre, it has a cold metallic sharpness. Combined with the subtle clock etched into the stage floor, we are given a sense of cold reflectiveness even before the show starts. Additionally, it acts as a clever device to show the passage and stasis of time throughout the show, especially when combined with potent post-World War II songs, which are played expertly on the piano by Stefan Bednarczyk.

The directorial decision to set the show during the post war period of the mid 1940’s is a stroke of genius. As one of Shakespeare’s most light-hearted comedies, it always runs the risk of losing the tension of the context surrounding the main plot, especially considering that there is an unusually minimal amount of violence in the show. By setting it in this period, it allows the underlying themes of grief and reactions to this, as well as the expectation/wish to go back to normal as quickly as possible following such a major event, to really rise to the surface. In consequence, the show makes a truly emotionally evocative anti-war statement, which is particularly important given current world affairs.

The performances of the cast members are outstanding. As individuals, they each show an intimate understanding of their characters and how they would realistically react to the Great War having ended, through their use of naturalism. This enables audience members better connect with both the characters and the story on multiple levels, thus making it particularly memorable as a production. As a collective, it is clear that they have mastered the art of translating the plot into this particular context, showing off the universality and transcendental nature of Shakespeare’s work.

It is worth highlighting the comic talents of Clive Francis, who plays Sir Toby Belch, and Robert Mountford, who plays Sir Andrew Aguecheek. What a pair they are, playing off each other to create some of the funniest moments in the show with their physicality and skilled use of voice control. Oliver Ford Davies, playing Malvolio, is the true wild card. We don’t expect such a serious character to end up being the most hilarious character in the show, simply through the fact that he takes everything to heart and is so oblivious to the very obvious prank that is being played on him. We pity him but also laugh at his misfortune, which in turn makes us question our own reactions, especially with the added aspect of the fact that everyone in the audience can see each other's reactions due to the show being performed in the round.

Another aspect worth mentioning is the fact that Viola’s disguising herself as a man isn’t pushed as shocking or made a big show of. This is a great decision as it allows us to experience typically gendered perspectives in a more fluid and objective way, aided further by Patricia Allison’s captivating interpretation of the character as highly adaptable and perceptive.

Twelfth Night shines a light in the cold night of winter, a truly magical experience.

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Megan O’Neill

Twelfth Night plays at London’s Orange Tree Theatre until 25 January 2025, with further info here.