THEATRE: TWELFTH NIGHT

Instead of the isle of Illyria, a pile of clothes heaped in the middle of the stage; instead of a shipwreck, a television hinting at firefighters and volunteers trapped while a bushfire rages outside. “If this were play’d upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction,” and the beauty of Bell Shakespeare’s production of Twelfth Night is that it brings a probable emotional connection of an Australian audience to the Shakespearean play by making it relevant and topical. Twelfth Night is the story of Viola, shipwrecked and separated from her brother Sebastian, who disguises herself as a man to protect herself. Mistaken identities and love triangles follow, but what is interesting about Director Lee Lewis’ interpretation is that she confronts the natural disaster with humour – she says, “The darkness that lies under the play would be unbearable without the light of laughter.” Music plays a huge role here, as well as powerful performances by Max Cullen, Ben Wood, Andrea Demetriades, and the very charming Brent Hill. It’s strange, it’s a little confusing, but most
of all it’s fun, and the last scene will have you singing along and clapping your hands.

Until Nov 27, Playhouse, Sydney Opera House, $30-68, 9250 7777, sydneyoperahouse.com