Twelfth Night – William Shakespeare, The Festival Players, Three Choirs Festival, Old Bishops Palace Garden, Gloucester Cathedral, Tuesday 25 July, 2023.

4****: David Gray

A Twelfth Night with a running time of two hours, including an interval?! Clearly extensive cuts must have been made. In the event the cuts to this version of the play favour its comic elements at the expense of the romantic drama.

This is an understandable decision. Shakespeare in the open air, with no amplification, no lighting, and on a virtually bare stage, requires larger than life performances. It is easier to do larger than life comedy and retain credibility, than it is to go “over the top” convincingly with romance!

Although understandable, this choice is still one be regretted. In cutting some of the more romantic scenes, not only is the psychology and emotional depth underpinning the action lost, but also much of the verbal wit in the play.

That said, much attention has clearly been given to the text, which is delivered throughout with admirable clarity of meaning and sense. The actors all project impressively and effortlessly and the diction cannot be faulted. Not a word is lost. The choreography does not always flow so well. This may well be to do with the constraints of a tiny stage.

Nevertheless, this is a bustling, energetic, boisterous show, dominated by some huge performances. Ashley Shiers is super-suave as Duke Orsino, whereas his bawdy Toby Belch seem to be the love child of Boris Johnson and Sir Les Patterson (if that isn’t too disturbing and image).

Ray Murphy swishes, swoons, clutches and gasps his way around the stage as a surprisingly libidinous Olivia. Ben Butler is a smooth and charismatic Feste; emotionally detached, but very much at the centre of the fun, and fun there is in buckets.

Standing in at the last minute - and having learned most of the part in a matter of days - George Ormerod shines as Malvolio. It is a remarkable achievement to have developed such a rounded and complete characterisation and to get to grips so convincingly with the text in such a short space of time. Hats off to him!

The character of Sir Andrew Aguecheek is, to some extent, the foil or straight-man for Toby. Lachlan Macgregor allows this element of the role to dominate in an underpowered performance. Sir Andrew needs to be more preposterous.

Piers Mackenzie delivers a charmingly cheeky Maria and deals with the whole man-playing-woman-playing-man shenanigans with intriguing ambivalence.

This is, in many ways, Shakespeare in the raw – rough and ready, earthy, bawdy and, above all else, authentic.

Cast

Ashley Shiers – Duke Orsino, Toby Belch

Ray Murphy – Countess Olivia, Valentine

Piers Mackenzie – Viola, Maria

George Ormerod – Malvolio, Antonio

Ben Butler – Feste, Sea Captain

Lachlan Macgregor – Andrew Aguecheek, Sebastian

Creatives

Michael Dyer – Director

Johnny Coppin – MD, Composer