Picture: Johan Persson
Twelfth Night continues at the Young Vic Theatre, London until 17 November 2018.
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Shakespeare has never been so accessible. This sparkling revamp of Twelfth Night fizzes away like a Berocca and injects vitality and much-needed zazz into the Bard’s ridiculous tale of gender-swapping, mistaken identity, and social and sexual politics… all to an infectious urban soundtrack.
The driving force behind the UK premiere of this new musicalised version is British actor/playwright/director Kwame Kwei-Armah. Having started out as a performer – following a spell on the stage, he was a regular in Casualty, and notched up roles in The Bill, Between the Lines and Lewis – he nevertheless kept his attention focused firmly on writing, becoming writer-in-residence at the Bristol Old Vic and securing multiple nominations and awards for playwriting.
Kwei-Armah recently completed a seven-year spell as artistic director of Center Stage in Baltimore but has now returned to the UK to head up the Young Vic. With the help of composer/lyricist Shaina Taub, and co-direction from Oskar Eustis – artistic director of the Public Theater in New York City – he’s chosen Shakespeare’s 1602 low comedy for his debut.
The shipwrecked Viola (Gabrielle Brooks, brava!) and her twin brother Sebastian (Jyuddah Jaymes) are washed ashore in a colourful land called Illyria, which bears an uncanny resemblance to Notting Hill (thanks to Robert Jones’ brilliant set). Unaware of her brother’s fate, Viola inveigles herself into the community and is compelled to pass herself off as a man in order to seek employment with the local Duke Orsino (Rupert Young), with whom she instantly but secretly falls in love.
Orsino, however, is vying for the attention of his wealthy neighbour Olivia (Natalie Drew). She is in mourning for her recently deceased brother and not in the mood for amorous approaches… until, that is, Viola, disguised as a rather dashing Cesario, turns up to woo her on behalf of Orsino. Olivia, of course, instantly falls in love with Cesario instead, creating a love triangle as cheesy as Dairylea.
Injecting comedy into the mix is Olivia’s uncle and house-guest, Sir Toby Belch (Martyn Ellis), another suitor in the form of Sir Toby’s friend Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Silas Wyatt-Barke), Olivia’s servant Fabian (Paul Willcocks) and maid Maria (Gbemisola Ikumelo), Sebastian’s friend Antonio (Jonathan Livingstone), the fool (presented in this modern-day production as a busker) Feste (the excellent Melissa Allan), and Olivia’s pompous steward Malvolio (a show-stealing Gerard Carey, who makes one of the funniest entrances I’ve seen in a long time).
The action plays out using a mix of original dialogue and contemporary song. Kwei-Armah may have stuck to Shakespeare’s original discourse, but just not very much of it. The text has been condensed to its very essence – a stock cube or, to borrow the earlier analogy, the kind of effervescent tablet that Sir Toby might need after a heavy night in the Duke of Illyria pub.
It’s all then brought to life with the addition of water, in the shape Taub’s soul- and R&B-infused tunes and MD Sean Green and his top-class five-piece band.
Like an extended episode of Horrible Histories, the songs do a nifty job of explaining much of the potentially confusing text and, crucially, subtext. I was slightly concerned about hearing the opening number, ‘If Music Be the Food Of Love’, I presume it was called, as it was underwhelming musically and lyrically. But by the end of the show, I was on my feet along with the rest of the audience.
The feel-good, party atmosphere of this production is infectious, and I defy anyone to leave without a smile on their face. It’s a timely interpretation, too, with its exploration, nay celebration, of gender fluidity and multiculturalism. World flags are festooned around the theatre, and the residents of Illyria clearly hail from across the globe. It’s like someone rerouted the Notting Hill Carnival straight across the Young Vic stage.
Borrowing the ethos of Eustis’ New York Public Theater – which presents community theatre and an annual Free Shakespeare in the Park, where this production first appeared, back in 2016 – the Young Vic has opened up the play to the local community, filling the stage with a chorus of 30, in addition to the professional cast. A commendable project indeed.
With a top price ticket at £40 – and half of tickets available at just £20 (plus 10% of seats gifted for free to targeted audiences) – this is theatre at its most accessible. It was a joy to see such youth and diversity in the audience at the press night of a Shakespeare play. I’d never think it possible, but this Twelfth Night made me long for that endless pre-Brexit summer of 2012, when the country was full of optimism and hope. If you can relive those glorious days even for just 90 minutes, then it’s worth every penny.
Craig Glenday
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