Twelfth Night 1992

Performed by the LSC at the Bishop's Old Palace, Lincoln

21st, 22nd and 23rd July 1992

Director: Nigel Pope

Assistant Director: Lyndon Day

Music: Rick Alliwell and Nigel Pope

Cast

Orsino: Simon Hollingworth

Curio / Priest: Lyndon Day

Viola: Liz Lucas

Captain / Fabian: Mark Abbott

Sir Toby Belch: Phil Mead

Maria: Jo Smith

Sir Andrew Aguecheek: Peter Rixham

Feste: Jo Clark

Olivia: Karen Harrison

Malvolio: Simon Clark

Sebastian: Richard Jones

Antonio: Dave Clayton

The play concerns a complicated love triangle, involving Orsino, Duke of Illyria - where the play is based - who loves Olivia, a wealthy neighbouring gentlewoman, and who is in turn loved by Viola. To further complicate matters, Viola is employed by Orsino to woo Olivia for him. Viola is, in the way of many of Shakespeare's comedic heroines, dressed as a boy called Cesario throughout much of the play; a 'boy' with whom Olivia falls in love! The main plot is settled by the arrival of Sebastian, Viola's twin brother. Olivia marries Sebastian thinking he is Cesario, and after much wonderment at this turn of events, Viola marries Orsino. Much of the comedy centres around the sub plots woven about the main story: the hopeless wooing of Olivia by the 'nice but dim' Sir Andrew Aguecheek, who is persuaded to challenge Viola to a duel, only to have the misfortune to run into Sebastian instead. Malvolio, Olivia's pompous butler, is fooled into believing that Olivia loves him by Sir Toby Belch, Olivia's uncle and Maria, her maid. After making a complete idiot of himself in the famous cross gartered yellow stockings, Malvolio is eventually let in on the joke, but fails to see the funny side and ends the play vowing revenge on them all.

"The thing that really sticks in my mind was the rain. The night before the first evening it had been pouring like crazy. We'd bought loads of rostra from Bishop Grossteste College to use for the seats and they were absolutely soaked. When it came to actually doing the show, I couldn't stop looking at the sky to see what the weather was doing. We got through it okay though and made a profit of about £2.50!"

Nigel Pope, Director.

"If subsequent performances by the LSC are as enjoyable as the first night of its first production, then local theatregoers have a great deal of pleasure in store."

Joe Conway, Lincolnshire Echo, July 22nd 1992