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Twelfth Night
Birmingham Rep
*** SHAKESPEARE plays, as we all know, have
to be accessible. More than that in fact. They also have to be commercial. They have to be
relevant and they have to engage if they want to continue to appeal to a
modern audience with so many other options. Gone are the days (sadly, some might say) of
lavish, traditional offerings that stuck rigidly to a style that anyone
over 40 will have been subjected to at school.
Whilst interpretations have always gone on, the
perception most of us have of a Shakespeare play is a somewhat stuffy
experience that we feel we should enjoy more than we actually do. Worthy
and self-important, yes. Entertaining and inclusive, no. Filter Theatre’s take on Twelfth Night
rips apart tradition and delivers an experience you won't expect, or
forget. Part gig, part play, part pantomime it breathes an altogethe Theatrical convention, for a start, is straight out the window. No set. No interval. No fourth wall. One lighting state throughout. Random costuming. It's a million miles from the staged majesty of Olivier or even Branagh but that, of course, is the point. It's fun, brash and hugely inventive. Crucially, it's approachable and strives to involve the audience rather than separate it. Bold and energetic as it is, it doesn't always
work. At times the joy and power of the text is diluted by over long
physical gags or sung through speeches. It's a cracking story with some
beautifully drawn characters but too often the flow is lost by extended
distractions. Clarity and diction suffer too when vocal effects are put
through distorted microphones. Making bold staging choices is all part
of directorial choice, but the words and our ability to hear them can't
be compromised. The absence of a set puts all the more focus on
the actors. If performances falter, there is always the set to admire. A
few tables and an assortment of cables and microphones make for a
somewhat stark setting on the expansive Rep. stage but performances
compensate impressively. Energy fizzes throughout and all accompanied by
a range of sound effects and music performed in character by onstage
musicians. Without doubt, the purists will be challenged by
this production. It's most probably not what you are expecting but for
that reason alone, it's worth taking a chance. Hats off to a company who
are challenging an age old perception and doing it their own way. It may
surprise and it may even shock but one thing is certain – it will make
you talk about it. And that can never be a bad thing. Directed by Sean Holmes, the production runs
until April 16. Tom Roberts 13-04-16
And from another viewpoint
***** SHAKESPEARE’S works are timeless. His
plays have been performed in countless ways in every country of the
world. It is easy to be indifferent to Shakespeare, with
Elizabethan language being a barrier along with stories with many
characters. Today, companies are striving to make his plays
accessible to new audiences and unearth the essence to his celebrated
words. Filter Theatre are and
exciting company and with their production of
Twelfth Night,
it is easy to forget that we are watching a Shakespeare production at
all. Firstly, they perform in the main house of the
rep with no set at all. We see no backdrop and no images allude to the
lavish world of Illyria. Instead, the audience see a stage full of
musical instruments and wires as their set. The stage looks like a
rehearsal room for a band rather than a setting for Shakespearean
production.
The actors are dressed in the most casual
clothing. We are first greeted by actor Harry Jardine with an even more
casual conversation. He never let on what we were about to expect in
this production and he revelled in the audience’s slight confusion about
the unlikely setting. Filter are not afraid to play with Shakespeare’s
script. They merely use Twelfth Night as a springboard to create their
own style of theatre. The play literally turns into a Shakespearean rock
concert and they make music the integral part of the production. When Ha The play oozes new concepts filled with joy and
delight. Sometimes it was easy to forget that this actually in fact is a
production of Twelfth Night. It is cut to a 95-minute production and
multi-rolling is a central theme. Amy Marchant gave the perfect
performance of love struck Viola, when through the chaos and commotion
of the background; she always remained captivating in her delivery of
the role. Marchant also played Viola’s twin Sebastian which
made for a comical denouement. The drunken Toby Belch is the only
character dressed in Shakespearean costume. Even Toby can’t believe this
is a production of Twelfth Night and recites lines from other
Shakespeare plays at random. Filter want us the audience to enjoy their on
stage experience just as much as they do. They invite the audience to an
on stage party to aid Toby Belch’s mischief. Tequila shots are handed
out and a conga line compiled of audience members is used to create the
raucous atmosphere. Smiles and laughter are seen throughout the entire
auditorium and the company succeed in making a Shakespearean party,
complete with games, singing and dancing. Filter make sure that no detail is under-played
or unnoticed. They are a meticulous company and to an audience, their
work seems effortless on stage. They are committed to the ultimate goal of
entertaining and enjoying Shakespeare. They use music in every scene and
every member of the cast has an instrument to play. It highlights each scene to create a new and
clever understanding of the story. The on stage direction of Sean Holmes
is certainly inspiring. The cast also make sure that the importance of
character performance is kept integral to the production, with excellent
performances by all. Oliver Dimsdale, who played Malvolio, arguably gave
the most comical performances within his role, but also the most
touching. It was a hilarious show, but the company never forget to add
colour by reminding the audience of the dark journeys of each character.
Dimsdale is fantastic at showing Malvolio’s fall and adds the well
needed emotional change to the light hearted production. It is wonderful to see complete joy in their work
as a company. Their love of playing with Shakespeare’s word is
contagious and makes the audience follow suit. Filter invites us to a
Shakespearean party but always stays true to presenting the script in an
understandable way. It is modern Shakespeare at its finest. Elizabeth Halpin 13-04-16
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new life into a rather sweet and funny play. 
rry
Jardine as Orsino utters the first line of the play ‘If music be the
food of love’, he allows the audience to finish the remainder and
repeats it several times, as a type of chant to start the riveting band.