Reviewed by Judy Richter
TheatreWorks is serving up Shakespeare with a twist for its annual
holiday confection. Artistic director Robert Kelley and his design team have
successfully set "Twelfth Night" in San Francisco in the late '60s, proving once
again how timeless the Bard is.
Inspired
by the Summer of Love, set designer Andrea Bechert has created settings with
psychedelically bold colors, starting with a huge sun setting behind the Golden
Gate Bridge. According to notes for the production, she drew in particular on
the movie version of the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" and the work of artist Peter
Max -- all
complemented by Steven B. Mannshardt's lighting. The Beatles also influenced Allison
Connor's costume
designs. The military jackets from the cover of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely
Hearts Club Band"
are a case in point. Other celebrities reflected in the costumes are Wavy
Gravy, Jimi Hendrix, Country Joe McDonald and Janis Joplin. Fresh from his success with
TheatreWorks' world premiere of "Emma," composer Paul Gordon has written songs with a '60s
flair, abetted by William Liberatore's musical direction and Cliff Caruthers' sound.
All
of these visual and aural treats would be mere ornamentation without actors and
a director who have an affinity for Shakespeare's text. Fortunately this production
certainly has the director, Kelley, who tosses in stage business that echoes
the '60s without overdoing anything. The text, plot and theme -- love in a
variety of permutations -- remain foremost. The acting, too, is generally
first-rate although there are exceptions. Perhaps the most obvious is Michael
Gene Sullivan as
Duke Orsino, who's dressed like Hendrix. Sullivan is the head writer, director
and actor with the Tony-winning San Francisco Mime Troupe and has acted with
other Bay Area companies. Nevertheless, his performance is marred by poor
diction, starting with the opening "If music be the food of love."
On
the other hand, Vilma Silva's Olivia reflects the actor's long association with
another Tony winner, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Carie Kawa is strong in the central role of
Viola, the shipwrecked young woman who disguises herself as a man, goes into
Orsino's service and falls in love with him while fulfilling his orders to take
his messages of love to Olivia.
The
comic roles are hilariously filled by Warren David Keith as Olivia's roistering uncle, Sir
Toby Belch, who adds rolling joints to his repertoire; Darren Bridgett as the ridiculous Sir Andrew
Aguecheek; and Shannon Warrick as Maria, Olivia's lady-in-waiting and a co-conspirator with
Toby and Andrew. These three are perfect foils to Ron Campbell's rigid, puritanical Malvolio,
Olivia's steward. The letter scene, climaxed by Malvolio's attempts to smile,
is a masterpiece of comic acting.
Feste,
Olivia's fool, is portrayed by the guitar-playing Patrick Alparone, who is part of a band called
the Fool. His fellow musicians are Michael Ching, who doubles as the Captain; and
Clive Worsley,
who also plays Antonio. The band plays most of the songs that are so prevalent
in "Twelfth Night." Completing the cast is Rafael Untalan as Sebastian, Viola's twin
brother. Richard Lane contributes to the fun with his fight choreography.
For More Information
Return to Home Page