South Stream's Twelfth Night Delivers Nonstop Laughs

They're back, and we're glad! It seems like forever-ago since I had the good fortune of attending a show by South Stream Productions. Their current show -- William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night -- has them back on the boards and with aplomb!

Producing an old favorite, such as Twelfth Night, poses a two-part question: (1) How can we make our production special? (2) How can we do so while remaining true to the text?

Director Hayley Philippart addresses both parts and wins the game -- "in spades." This is a production like no other, and it kept Friday's opening night audience laughing nonstop.

Let me also add: it is a production for everyone.

That is, even if you have never enjoyed seeing or reading anything by Shakespeare and/or even if you have no idea what this play is about, you will enjoy it.

Likewise, even if you are a dyed-in-the-wool "Shakespeare nerd" (like me) who has read, studied, and seen this play multiple times, you will enjoy it.

The Twelfth Night cast includes (from left) Barrett as First Officer, Brook North as Sir Toby, Natalie Turgeon as Sir Andrew,
Julie Oliver as Feste, Olivia Griego as Second Officer, and Akili Holder-Cozart as Antonio (photo by Jennifer Sanderson)

The Play (which takes place in Ilyria):

Duke Orsino is in love with ("has a thing for") Lady Olivia (who, because she is mourning the death of her brother, refuses to see any men for seven years).

Olivia has a Fool named Feste (who is a "corrupter of words").

She also has a stuffed-shirt, self-important steward (head servant) named Malvolio. (Malvolio is not impressed with Feste, and he "has a thing for" Olivia.)

Meanwhile, a shipwreck has cast Viola ashore in Ilyria. Viola is convinced that her twin brother Sebastian did not survive.

Viola disguises herself as a young man (Cesario) and gets hired by Orsino. (Viola develops "a thing for" Orsino.)

Orsino sends Cesario to woo Olivia for him. (Olivia develops "a thing for" Cesario.)

Olivia's cousin (uncle?) Sir Toby Belch and his "friend" Sir Andrew Aguecheek drink and revel nonstop. (Sir Andrew "has a thing for" Olivia.)

Feste joins the revelers one night; they get especially rowdy, and Malvolio gives them grief.

Maria (Olivia's gentlewoman) hatches a plan that promises to get revenge on Malvolio by making him a laughingstock.

Sebastian does survive and comes to Ilyria. So does Antonio.

Hilarity ensues.

The cast for South Stream Productions' presentation of Twelfth Night includes (from left) Akili Holder-Cozart as Maria,
Julie Oliver as Feste, Natalie Turgeon as Sir Andrew, and Brook North as Sir Toby (photo by Jennifer Sanderson)

The Acting:

This is a tight ensemble of actors who play well with each other. Their timing is impeccable, as is their pacing. In addition, they all play their interiors so well that, at key points, we can actually see the-gears-turning-in-their-minds and light-bulbs-appearing-above-their-heads.

A cast of seven actors covers all 12 roles in the script, and herein we find one of the strengths of this production:

I don't know if it was intentional or not, but I got the feeling that I was witnessing actors playing the part of actors-who-are-playing-these-roles. And this opened the doors for additional dimensions of humor.

Julie Oliver's Feste is a scream -- her delivery of the lines hits every nail squarely on-the-head. And her "conspiratorial" relationship with the audience makes everything all the more funny. Bonus: her musical talents -- YES! Oliver is called upon to play a priest (which opens up the chance for an amusing "bit"). And she is the perfect choice to deliver the "curtain speech."

Brook North handles the doubling of the lovesick Duke Orsino and the drunken Sir Toby with aplomb. Both of North's characters are "types," but neither is a stereotype. And refreshingly, this Orsino is more animated than any I have seen before.

Natalie Turgeon makes Sir Andrew funny without falling into the abyss of making him ridiculous. And she creates the role of Valentine as a distinctly different character.

Miranda Curtis hits all the right notes as Viola and also as Viola-disguised-as-Cesario.

Barrett is appropriately regal as Olivia. Mini-Spoiler: Olivia's transformations are apparent and quite believable. Her Sea Captain works well, and, as one of the Officers she is half of a delightful duo (see below).

Akili Holder-Cozart claims to have felt intimidated by Shakespeare. Suffice it to say: she overcame it nicely! Her Maria and her Antonio are both on-the-mark.

Olivia Griego knocks all three of her roles out-of-the-park. I have never seen Malvolio played with a foppish streak, and I am delightfully surprised by how well it works. Likewise, I have never before witnessed Sebastian getting laughs -- another delightful surprise. And the scenes in which Griego and Barrett appear as Officers are so pleasingly Dogberry-ish, bringing the term Keystone Cops to mind.

The Tech:

The choice of venue is a plus. This room in Ridge Road Common Thread Church (at 2011 Ridge Rd.) has the feeling of a somewhat oversized living room, thereby fostering the feeling that we are at home, and these actors have brought the show to us. The choice of placing costume racks onstage in front of a black curtain enhances that feeling and opens the door for a plethora of amusing bits, pertaining to actors changing from one role to another.

Sally Beale and Devra Thomas team up as costume designer and props master, respectively, to visually augment the performance; Alyssa Petrone (on lights and as stage manager) completes the puzzle.

Twelfth Night stars Brook North (center) as Sir Toby Belch and Natalie Turgeon as Sir Andrew Aguecheek (photo by Jennifer Sanderson)

Nice Touches:

• The trumpet, the kazoos, and that other instrument that Julie Oliver played.
• The "Meanwhile" interlude. (You'll see what I mean.)
• The improvised "aside" lines.
• Malvolio's affected accent after reading the letter.
• Popcorn and chocolate candy coins.
• Sir Andrew's actual, physical occasional "tongue-in-cheek."
• Sir Andrew's line: "I have no more wit than a Christian" being delivered in a church.
• The "capering" of the revelers.
• Characters hiding in the costume racks (which moved).
• The occasional onstage appearances of a headphoned member of the backstage crew.
• The one-of-a-kind curtain call.

From the Department of Picky-Picky:

Actors playing multiple roles can create confusion. The distinction between Maria and Antonio could have been made clearer had Holder-Cozart worn a skirt (similar to Viola's) as Maria and shed it when she appeared as Antonio.

Because I was sitting on the stage left side, the downstage right lighting instrument was shining in my eyes. Could it possibly be adjusted?

The Bottom Line:

Referring to this show, I can only quote Larry the Cable Guy: "That there's funny; I don't care who you are."

That, coupled with their "pay-as-you-can" pricing structure, qualifies this show for not-to-be-missed status, and you have six more chances: Jan. 12-14 and 19-21. (Click here to buy tickets.)

I recommend that you go ASAP, because you might find yourself thinking about attending a second performance.

Brook North and Julie Oliver star as Sir Toby and Feste for South Stream Productions' Twelfth Night (photo by Jennifer Sanderson)

William Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT (In Person at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12-14 and 19-21), directed by Hayley Philippart and starring Barrett as Olivia/Sea Captain/Officer, Miranda Curtis as Viola, Olivia Griego as Sabastian/Malvolio/Officer, South Stream Co-founder Brook North as Sir Toby Belch/Orsino, Julie Oliver as Feste the Fool/Priest, Akili Holder-Cozart as Maria/Antonio, Tin Foil as Grey Capulet, and Natalie Turgeon as Sir Andrew Aguecheek/Valentine (South Stream Productions at Ridge Road Common Thread Church in Raleigh). CAST & CREW (scroll down): https://www.southstreamproductions.com/. PRESENTER: https://www.southstreamproductions.com/, https://www.facebook.com/SouthStreamProductions, and https://www.instagram.com/southstreamproductions. BLOG: https://southstreamproductions.blogspot.com/. VENUE: https://commonthreadchurch.org/, https://www.facebook.com/commonthreadraleigh/, https://www.instagram.com/commonthreadraleigh/, and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjcJjkt30kgsAh0h-1pglfg. DIRECTIONS: https://www.google.com/maps/dir//2011+Ridge+Rd,+Raleigh,+NC+27607. TWELFTH NIGHT (a.k.a. Twelfth Night; or, What You Will, 1600-02 Comedy): https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/twelfth-night/, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Twelfth-Night, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelfth_Night. THE SCRIPT: https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/twelfth-night/read/. STUDY GUIDE (Utah Shakespeare Festival): https://www.bard.org/study-guides/twelfth-night-study-guide/. WILLIAM SHAKEPEARE (Elizabethan and Jacobean English playwright and poet, 1564-1616): https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/25200, https://www.bl.uk/people/william-shakespeare, https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-life/, https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/william-shakespeare/william-shakespeare-biography/, https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/william-shakespeare, https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Shakespeare, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare. TICKETS: $25, plus taxes and fees, or Pay What You Can. Click here to buy tickets. INFORMATION: southstreamproductions@gmail.com. PLEASE DONATE TO: South Stream Productions.

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