(no subject)
I saw a really good production of Twelfth Night yesterday, and I have high standards for this play.
Viola and Feste were both played by nonbinary actors, and if there were ever appropriate characters for that casting choice, it's the person who finds themself in a strange world and moves between identities like water, and the fool who is a self-proclaimed corrupter of words.
Malvolio was played by a woman, which, gosh, everything about that storyline is way sadder with that choice. In this play where everyone is crossing boundaries and one of the most stunning monologues of the whole thing involves the lines:
What will become of this? As I am a man,
My state is desperate for my master's love.
As I am woman, now, alas the day,
What thriftless sighs shall poor Olivia breathe
then to have Malvolio not only be a servant pining for a master, but also the transgressive attraction of one woman for another, is way sadder. The three main lovers are given grace for their love, but Malvolio isn't, and it's just awful! In the darkened room scene (which is uncomfortable at the best of times) she was just sobbing through the whole thing and begging Feste/Topasz to help her, and emphasized "no man was ever used thus"
I've seen productions where Feste regretted his role in this part of the charade, and kept hesitating before mocking Malvolio some more, while Toby and Maria egged him on. This Feste seemed instead to delight in the havoc and confusion they planted everywhere, and seemed more along the lines of Puck or Ariel, which was a terrific new take on it.
The man playing Sir Andrew was over seven feet tall and moved like a skinny beanpole scarecrow, and he was an absolutely perfect gull for Toby.
Any Twelfth Night worth its salt has Antonio desperately in love with Sebastian, and the really good ones have Sebastian return that love, and this one delivered both! Sebastian dressed like a sad gay poet in a 1950s boys boarding school, and when he saw Antonio in the last scene he ran (straight past Viola) into his arms and gave the purest hug ever. This was originally posted at https://ernest.dreamwidth.org/6753.html. There are
comments there.
Viola and Feste were both played by nonbinary actors, and if there were ever appropriate characters for that casting choice, it's the person who finds themself in a strange world and moves between identities like water, and the fool who is a self-proclaimed corrupter of words.
Malvolio was played by a woman, which, gosh, everything about that storyline is way sadder with that choice. In this play where everyone is crossing boundaries and one of the most stunning monologues of the whole thing involves the lines:
What will become of this? As I am a man,
My state is desperate for my master's love.
As I am woman, now, alas the day,
What thriftless sighs shall poor Olivia breathe
then to have Malvolio not only be a servant pining for a master, but also the transgressive attraction of one woman for another, is way sadder. The three main lovers are given grace for their love, but Malvolio isn't, and it's just awful! In the darkened room scene (which is uncomfortable at the best of times) she was just sobbing through the whole thing and begging Feste/Topasz to help her, and emphasized "no man was ever used thus"
I've seen productions where Feste regretted his role in this part of the charade, and kept hesitating before mocking Malvolio some more, while Toby and Maria egged him on. This Feste seemed instead to delight in the havoc and confusion they planted everywhere, and seemed more along the lines of Puck or Ariel, which was a terrific new take on it.
The man playing Sir Andrew was over seven feet tall and moved like a skinny beanpole scarecrow, and he was an absolutely perfect gull for Toby.
Any Twelfth Night worth its salt has Antonio desperately in love with Sebastian, and the really good ones have Sebastian return that love, and this one delivered both! Sebastian dressed like a sad gay poet in a 1950s boys boarding school, and when he saw Antonio in the last scene he ran (straight past Viola) into his arms and gave the purest hug ever. This was originally posted at https://ernest.dreamwidth.org/6753.html. There are
comments there.