Review: 'Twelfth Night'

By Kat Ronson,

Before you read our review, check out our preview of the production on the ((URY PLAYER)) here.

The barn was in very good order for this production with a clean set clearly divided into three different locations. There was a simple but very effective use of the stage, with carefully selected greenery and simple pieces of furniture to symbolise interior and exterior settings. There were however, a few parts of the play where our views were obstructed; due to some parts of the stage being used more frequently than others.

As with all Shakespearean texts, let alone one as popular as Twelfth Night, there are always high expectations. Such expectations make it difficult for a director to make striking or risky decisions. However, director Cat Gobert-Jones, made some inventive but sensitive choices.  She chose to have Feste played by a girl, the priest and Curio to be played by the same actor and set the play in WWI to name just a few.  Handling of such choices made it clear that Gobert-Jones had a very strong understanding and genuine passion for the text.

In recent Drama Barn productions the acting has been phenomenal and Twelfth Night is no exception. Helen Peatfield played a highly entertaining Olivia, characterising her as obnoxious and spoilt .Her exchanges with other characters were faultless and she was surprisingly natural when addressing the audience directly.  Toby King and Richard Spears were a fantastic double act as Sir Toby and Sir Andrew, injecting pace with their exchanges. Their performances were physically demanding, yet their energy never faltered. Malvolio, played by Peter Marshall, had great comic appearances; his unrequited love for Olivia provided many of the laughs for the production. Laura Griffin’s Feste was also a joy to watch, with her singing providing an incredibly refreshing soundtrack for the performance. At one point, however, Griffin did have a weak moment. Whilst performing a solo dance and monologue simultaneously, she looked very uncomfortable, making her performance less fluid. For the most part however, the production was brilliantly cast and the execution of each character was excellent.

The technical aspect of this production was less inspiring but nonetheless effective. It is refreshing to see direction that does not feel the need to drown the stage in music, lights and costume. The lighting system was mainly a simple wash. However, there was the occasional use of red and blue lighting, though there could have been a more distinct purpose for this. Spotlights were used to highlight important speeches or letters; an innovative touch that further drew the comedy out of the performance.

My main regret with this production was there were very similar tones throughout; I would have liked to see a few changes in direction to keep the energy at peak. Gobert-Jones was selective over the jokes she chose to highlight from the text, which meant there was less reliance on slapstick or less sophisticated humour. Nevertheless, the comical parts were very well executed and all worked beautifully. Overall, Gobert-Jones provides a very eloquent understanding of the text that shone through most aspects of the production. A treat for Shakespeare lovers.

And you can hear Kat and Tom Bonnington's full audio review now on the ((URY PLAYER)) here!