TWELFTH NIGHT, Shakespeare, RSC Barbican till 9 March.

TWELFTH NIGHT: William Shakespeare.
Barbican: Tkts 020 7638 8891.
Runs: 3h, one interval, in repertory till 9 March 2002.
Review: Vera Lustig, 19 December 2002.

Unpleasingly designed but revelatory and ultimately moving production where every word rings true. An epiphany.
Read TWELFTH NIGHT as celebratory comedy or bitter-sweet romance and it can seem broken-backed, juddering from the thigh-slapping of a fetchingly betrousered Viola into the baiting of the imprisoned Malvolio. In Lindsay Posner's rigorous re-examination of the text, this distasteful prank belongs to the play's world. Guy Henry's beanpole Malvolio, sometimes straining after comedic effect, is devastating when crushed.

Posner's Illyria exudes sorrow and discontent: Joseph Mydell's stoical Antonio is a wronged outsider; doubly-bereaved Olivia (pallid, querulous Matilda Ziegler inspired casting) is shaky with grief; Feste's taunting of Malvolio stems from a corrosive grudge.

There is gentleness too: Christopher Good's excellent Aguecheek has an engaging wistfulness. The still, rapt recognition scene between Zoe Waites's grave, steadfast Viola and her twin is poignantly backed by the sound of lapping waves.

Posner questions the definition of the play as romantic; the text's final, heterosexual, couplings seem to obey convention rather than conviction. Barry Stanton's truculent Sir Toby is more Barf than Belch: Alison Fiske's Maria dodges his flying vomit. Never have a Toby and Maria seemed so ill-matched; Fiske's alert, well-bred servant is slumming.

Also down on his luck, but less gracious about it, is Mark Hadfield's contemptuous Feste, an uprooted East-End vaudeville artiste, hollow-eyed, nimble, with Buster Keaton hat and sulphurous voice. This astonishing actor's curdled rendition of the closing song is the summation of a production which is all about discord, and which seldom strikes a bum note.

Orsino: Jo Stone-Fewings.
Curio: Joseph England.
Valentine: Giles Fagan.
Viola: Zoe Waites.
Attendant: David Hinton.
Olivia: Matilda Ziegler.
Sir Toby Belch: Barry Stanton.
Maria: Alison Fiske.
Sir Andrew Aguecheek: Christopher Good.
Feste: Mark Hadfield.
Malvolio: Guy Henry.
Fabian: Wayne Cater.
Maid: Victoria Duarri.
Maid: Penelope Woodman.
Sea Captain: James Telfer.
Sebastian: Ben Meyjes.
Antonio: Joseph Mydell.
First Officer: David Hinton.
Second Officer: Sean Hannaway.
Priest: James Telfer.

Director: Lindsay Posner.
Designer: Ashley Martin-Davis.
Lighting: Pat Collins.
Music: Gary Yershon.
Sound: Mic Pool.

2001-12-29 20:30:56