TWELFTH NIGHT.
London
TWELFTH NIGHT
by William Shakespeare
Albery Theatre To 23 October 2004
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Wed & Sat 2.30pm
Runs 2hr 50min One interval
TICKETS: 0870 060 6621
Review: Timothy Ramsden 27 August
Indian-set Shakespeare reveals interesting light on a well-known play, and the quality of modern British-Asian performers.Shereen Martineau only left RADA two years ago, yet has already played Juliet in Liverpool and smaller roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company. From the first her Viola is impressive, deeply-felt, troubled yet resourceful, convincingly becoming Cesario, disguised for safety as servant to Duke Orsino. The voice can develop (they've been saying that about Shakespearean actors at least since Richard Burton played Henry V in 1951) but is already expressive. Though a favourite, this Cesario suffers facile laughter from Orsino and his other servants when expressing serious feeling. It's a fine touch in Stephen Beresford's production.
Harvey Virdi's Maria is also impressive. Breaking into uncontrollable laughter at the impact of her scheme to get' Malvolio, she expresses the fun-loving person previously bound by the seriousness of a large household's hierarchy.
Which may be one way the Indian setting of this production reveals a particular light on the play. The role of women especially without money and authority comes close to the Elizabethan. So does a lack of post-Victorian reserve about expressing feelings. It goes with a sense of hurry that sweeps through the play. This isn't India as slow mantra, but a busy, bustling society.
Paul Bhattacharjee's Malvolio is a lean, precise figure made more self-important by his attempts to carry out Olivia's supposed demands. And Paul Bazely is outstanding as a tall, gangly Sir Andrew, all polite elegance and lack of personal resourcefulness. His appearance for the duel with Cesario stripped to underwear for fighting, but trying to protect himself with cricket-pads (a beautiful detail just right for his way of thinking and style of life) is as comic as Malvolio's cross-gartered yellow.
Kulvinder Ghir gives his street-singer Feste a serious tone fitting for a commentator who's seen life all around him. At the culmination of her fine performance, Martineau shows the reunion with her twin brother is Viola's big experience in the play; everyone else is excluded from her attention. Other elements are more ordinary, but there's enough to be thankful for a well-conceived use of a specific part of the world to illumine the world's greatest playwright.
Antonio: Sagar Arya
Valentine/2nd Officer: Amarjit Bassan
Sir Andrew Aguecheek: Paul Bazely
Malvolio: Paul Bhattacharjee
Olivia's Servant: Joanna Burnett
Sebastian: Raaghav Chanana
Fabian/Captain: Neil D'Souza
Olivia: Neha Dubey
Fests: Kulvinder Ghir
Sir Toby Belch: Shiv Grewal
Orsino: Raza Jaffrey
Viola: Shereen Martineau
Curio/1st Officer: Amit Shah
Priest: Kish Sharma
Maria: Harvey Virdi
Director: Stephen Beresford
Designer: Jonathan Fensom
Lighting: Jason Taylor
Sound: Fergus O'Hare
Composer/Musical coach: Sara Dhillon
Movement: Chix Chandaria
Dialect coach: Neil Swain
Fight director: Paul Benzing
Creative consultant: Jatinder Verma
2004-08-31 15:16:26