Review: Twelfth Night (Theatr Clwyd)

Review by Eleanor Rose Clarke

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Shakespeare’s plays have come to show their extreme versatility with modern productions taking big strides to achieve their director’s unique vision, and Juliette Manon’s vision is no different. I had the pleasure of visiting the gorgeous Theatr Clwyd to watch this new take on the Elizabethan romantic comedy, Twelfth Night. With slight narrative changes, gender-swapped characters and a closer attention to the theme of transformation, does this new take on an existing story prove worth watching?

Twelfth Night throws its audience straight into the action, first meeting Cesario, who has been shipwrecked and torn away from his twin brother, whom he believes is dead. Finding himself in the land of Illyria, Cesario takes a position serving the raucous Duke Orsino, who is overcome with love for a noblewoman named Olivia. As instructed, Cesario delivers Orsino’s declaration of love, but Olivia is enthralled by him instead. Meanwhile, Sir Andrew Aguecheek is welcomed by Olivia’s Aunt, Lady Toby Belch, and a gentlewoman, Maria, the two of whom are having their own secret love affair! Malvolio is sick and tired of the household’s drunken antics, devoting his attention to Olivia, but as Lady Toby, Sir Andrew and Maria trick him, he is led to confusion and madness. But that’s not where the romance ends, as we discover Cesario’s twin, Sebastian, has gained the affections of sea captain Antonio, who rescued him from drowning. This confusion reaches a new level when Sebastian arrives in Illyria, leading to a series of comical incidents where the twins are mistaken for each other, finally ending in their reunion.

Watching this production with little prior knowledge of the play, the adaptations flow well within the story. Where Shakespeare writes Cesario as Sebastian’s twin sister, Viola, who disguises herself as a young man, this production portrays Cesario as a young transgender man who comes to accept himself through the play’s events, switching deception for transformation. The original plot involves a lot of going back and forth, questioning who is who, and who loves whom, but the added layer of Cesario’s personal journey grounds the story in a new light, giving its constant indecision a clearer motivation. Reshaping the piece to focus on Cesario’s identity adds a greater layer of emotional depth, allowing the story to flow more smoothly in favour of his growth.

Pairing up characters in raunchy scene transitions, with expressions of gender that subvert stereotypes, this production is not afraid to be clear in its presentation of queer existence and queer love. The successful romances in the show are all queer. Feste and Fabia are combined into one character, played by Arwel Gruffydd, who blurs the lines between the binary of gender. His mellow performances of atmospheric songs, which are sung in both Welsh and English and composed by Eamonn O’Dwyer and Cerys Hafana, drive the character’s mystical presence. 

Many of the play’s original lines carry more weight in this new light, mostly delivered by Lee Braithwaite, whose performance as Cesario is heartfelt and energetic. Lines, such as “I am all the daughters of my father’s house, and all the brothers too”, hold this new depth, and Braithwaite’s considered delivery allows the audience to truly understand the added complexities. He shares a warm chemistry with Bethan Rose Young’s Olivia, who offers a moment of calmness and clarity amongst the jovial crowd who reside with her. 

The newly refurbished Theatr Clwyd is always a pleasure to visit, with this production using their smaller performance space, Theatr Weston. The black box theatre is intimate, and the actors’ voices are able to travel with a powerful cadence, as they interact with every side of the auditorium. Being lucky enough to catch the BSL-interpreted performance, it was especially lovely to watch the actors interact with the interpreter, who is seamlessly welcomed into the land of Illyria.

Cai Dyfan’s costume design is bold in its 1970s style, with bright colours, no lack of flared trousers and dazzling, sequin pieces. The cast plays into this decade in their characterisation choices. It feels as though we are watching a retro comedy, with notes of slapstick and purposely ostentatious tones of voice. It takes a moment to settle into this concept, largely because it is so strongly driven from the get-go, but the setting works well for the story once the audience’s expectations have been readjusted. The chemistry between the mischievous trio, Lady Toby, Sir Andrew and Maria, is immensely successful for its lean into this style. Played by Lucy Ellinson, Joseph Benjamin Baker and Philippa Cole, the trio are equally hilarious in their respective roles, perhaps stealing the show in certain moments. Combined with a mystical essence created through lyrical dialogue and use of song, which is characteristic of many Shakespearean plays, this production’s feel is unique.

The play’s setting is revealed by pulling away a translucent backdrop, like a magic trick transporting us to the land of Illyria. Also designed by Dyfan, the set plays into the retro image too, with notable features such as a chandelier, a record player and, perhaps the most memorable, a lift to the rear of the stage. The contraption’s incessant “ding!” adds intrigue and humour to many of the characters’ entrances and exits, and the sliding door is a fun addition that is played with throughout. This production is confident in its overall look and theme, which, in collaboration with the performances, is precisely what makes the concept work so well. 

Shakespeare’s work lends itself well to queer storytelling in its use of characters who play with gender expression, as well as the casting origins lying with actors playing roles outside of their gender. Even without the adaptations made for this production, Shakespeare’s work questions the binary boundaries of gender by taking male and female characters and making them interchangeable. Juliette Manon’s production takes the existing themes of transformation and identity and draws on their power in a theatre landscape that strives to represent the people who make up the community. A story of secret (and not-so-secret) love affairs, this sensual and expressive land of Illyria is, at its heart, a celebration of queer joy. 

Twelfth Night is playing at Theatr Clwyd in Mold until 16^th May. Get your tickets at: https://www.theatrclwyd.com/event/twelfth-night#dates-and-times 

Photos by Sam Taylor