The Storyline

 

Director Lesley Barnard has chosen a Hawaiian theme for her modern day rendition of Twelfth Night which William Shakespeare originally set in the kingdom of Illyria, a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula in classical antiquity.

Our story opens with Orsino, a nobleman, wistfully listening to music while pining for the love of the beautiful Lady Olivia.

Unfortunately for him, as she is in mourning for the death of her brother, she refuses to consider any marriage proposals. 

Meanwhile, a ship sailing through a storm off the coast

was wrecked but one of the

passengers, a young, aristocratic

woman named Viola, survived and 

managed to reach the shore.

Alone in a strange land, she assumed

her twin brother, Sebastian, had been

drowned in the wreck.

While trying to figure out what sort of

work to do she met a friendly sea

captain who told her about Orsino’s

predicament and his love of Olivia.

Viola decides to work in Olivia’s home

but since Olivia is in morning she

refuses to talk to any strangers.

But since Lady Olivia refuses to talk

with any strangers, Viola decides

instead to disguise herself as a man

and assumes the name Cesario.

She then finds work as a manservant

in Duke Orsino’s household.

Now disguised as Cesario, Viola, as Cesario, quickly becomes one of Orsino’s favourite of and is appointed as his emissary. Viola falls in love with Orsino but she cannot pursue this love as Orsino believes she is a man.

Then, when Orsino sends Cesario to deliver his love messages to Olivia, Olivia falls in love with Cesario, (Viola) believing her to be a man.

But everyone is dejected because Viola loves Orsino, Orsino loves Olivia, and Olivia loves Cesario.

We now meet the rest of Olivia’s household: Sir Toby Belch, her rowdy drunken uncle and his foolish friend, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, who is hopelessly trying to date Olivia; Maria, Olivia’s entertaining and attractive waiting-gentlewoman, Feste, the witty house clown and Malvolio, the sour and stuffy curator of Olivia’s house.

Maria comes up with a practical joke to play on Malvolio after Sir Toby and the others take umbrage with Malvolio’s constant efforts to spoil their merriment.

Her plan was to write a letter to create the impression that Olivia was in love with him.

She forges a letter, supposedly from Olivia, addressed to her beloved (addressed as M O A I), telling him that if he wants to be seen by her in a favourable light, he should dress in yellow socks and red crossed gartering, act haughtily, smile constantly, and refuse to explain himself to anyone.

Malvolio found the letter and assumed it was addressed to him, and, filled with illusions of marrying Olivia and becoming a noble himself, gleefully follows the suggestions.

But Olivia, upon seeing his weird behaviour, comes to the conclusion that he is mad.

Meanwhile, Viola’s brother, Sebastian, arrives with Antonio, his friend and bodyguard.

Contrary to what Viola believed he did not drown when their ship was wrecked but now he, in turn, believes his sister drowned.

Antonio has looked after Sebastian since the ship went down and is zealously attached (perhaps sexually) to the young man to such a degree that he follows him to Orsino’s residence, despite the fact that he and Orsino are old antagonists.

Sir Andrew Aguecheek, upon noticing Olivia’s attraction to Cesario (still Viola in disguise), then challenges Cesario to a duel.

Sir Toby Belch sees the prospective duel as grand entertainment and urges Sir Andrew on.

However, when Sebastian turns up he is mistaken as Cesario (who looks just like his twin sister) by Sir Andrew and Sir Toby and they end up coming to blows with him.

Olivia then enters and stumbles across the mix-up.

Thinking that Sebastian is Cesario, she asks him to marry her but as he has never met her before in her life he is totally confused.

However, seeing the extent of her enormous wealth, Sebastian is more than willing to play along with her.

Meanwhile, Antonio was arrested by Orsino’s officers and begged Cesario (Viola) for help, thinking  him to be Sebastian.

But after Cesario (Viola) denies ever having met Antonio, he was dragged off, blubbering he had been betrayed by Sebastian.

Suddenly, Viola realises her brother may still be alive.

Malvolio’s invented lunacy allowed the delighted Maria, Toby, and the others to lock Malvolio in a small, dark room for a cure, and they tease him at will.

Feste, dresses up as the priest "Sir Topas," pretends to examine Malvolio, and despite his claims of normalcy, declares him definitely insane.

However, Sir Toby starts to regret the joke and the jokers allow Malvolio to send a letter to Olivia, pleading with her to be released.

Eventually, Cesario (Viola) and Orsino make their way to Olivia’s house, where Olivia welcomes Cesario as her new husband, thinking him to be Sebastian.

Orsino is furious, but when Sebastian appears on the scene, all is revealed.

The twins are jubilantly reunited, and Orsino suddenly realizes he loves Viola, now he knows she is a woman, and asks her to marry him.

The it is disclosed that Sir Toby and Maria were secretly married.

Finally, someone realises Malvolio is locked up in the dark room and he is set free.

With the trick revealed in full, the resentful Malvolio storms off, leaving the joyful lovers celebrating.