Four Young Shakespeare Company actors performed Shakespeare’s enchanting comedy drama, 'Twelfth Night', in a fast-moving fully-costumed interactive production for Forms 4 and 5. The play was brought vividly to life around and among the children, at times including the whole audience to create such dramatic scenes as the storm which shipwrecks Viola and Sebastian and the party at Lady Olivia’s which is so memorably interrupted by Malvolio.
The children were fully immersed, engaging in various activities that allowed them to delve into the characters' motivations and emotions. They had a chance to embody roles, ensuring everyone could enjoy short, accessible snippets of Shakespeare's language.
Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em. (Shakespeare)
Some of the children also volunteered to become individual characters and they all had the chance to speak and enjoy Shakespeare’s words in short, accessible sections. The actors would frequently come out of character to check that the children were comprehending the abridged plot and to understand that Viola, separated from her twin Sebastian, dresses as a boy and works for the Duke Orsino, whom she falls in love with. Orsino is in love with the Countess Olivia, and sends Viola to court her for him, but Olivia falls for Viola instead. Sebastian arrives, causing a flood of mistaken identity, and marries Olivia. Viola then reveals she is a girl and marries Orsino.
The Young Shakespeare Company have been coming to St John's for the best part of 20 years: the show that the four actors put on was truly outstanding and rates with the best that I have seen over the years. The actors had so much energy and were utterly convincing; the transitions between 'teaching talk' and acting were seamless. What I especially loved, and have not seen before, was the focus on how the horrible treatment of Malvolio is not okay. (Matthew Cobb, Head of English)
