Stratford Festival's 'Twelfth Night' - Play On, Play On

My mom, sister and I attend at least one Stratford Festival play per year, as I live in Vancouver, this involves a bit of planning. The trip to Stratford has been part of our summer or fall ritual since the mid-1980's and is one of the highlights of our year.

This year, we had the pleasure of attending the third preview of 'Twelfth Night'. "If music be the food of love, play on" these are the words uttered by Duke Orsino and have never rang as true as in this truly musical version of Des McAnuff's 'Twelfth Night'.

'Twelfth Night' is the story of Orsino, Duke of Illyria, who pines with unrequited love for the Countess Olivia, who has shut herself up at home as a mark of mourning for her deceased brother. Meanwhile, Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby Belch, is egging on another suitor for her hand: his drinking companion Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Complications ensue when a shipwreck causes the twins Viola and Sebastian to be washed up on separate parts of the coast, each fearing the other to have been drowned. To protect herself, Viola assumes male disguise and, as the youth "Cesario", enters the Duke's service. Her disguise, however, soon proves more effective than she had bargained for. Source: Twelfth Night Stratford Festival Program

Director, Des McAnuff, explains that "The idea of 'Twelfth Night' suffuses the play: the last giddy day of holiday time before you go back to work. this is a world of play - or eating and drinking, of gambling and sportive pranks and, particularly, of music. Music abounds, not only in the multitude of songs but in the poetic imagery as ell. Mellifluous sounds drift through the air and at times Illyria seems to float in space, as if we've all entered some kind of musical dream." Source: Twelfth Night Stratford Festival Program

Music is definitely the heart of the play, influences from the last 60 years of popular music create a very original, harmonious, toe-tapping and hand-slapping play. Outstanding performances by Brian Dennehy as Sir Toby Belch, Stephen Ouimette as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Ben Carlson as Feste, Tom Rooney as Malvolio and so many more. The chemistry between Brian Dennehy and Stephen Ouimette especially is a pleasure to watch. Ben Carlson is amazing as Feste, he balances playing the jester/fool with kernels of truth and reason when everything around the characters seems a bit out of whack. Plus that voice, what more is there to say.

I am definitely hoping that there will be soundtrack released for 'Twelfth Night' for it will be played on and on for many years to come. If you find yourself near Stratford, Ontario this year, do yourself a favour and go see 'Twelfth Night' it will not disappoint.