Twelfth Night (Corkscrew Festival 2019)

See it if You want a fun, funny, clever version of Twelfth Night. Lots of energy and surprises.

Don't see it if You’ve got a stick up your butt when it comes to Shakespeare and only want to see it performed in boring classic styles.

Also Every time I thought I had this show figured out it became something else. I like that. Thoroughly enjoyable evening!... Read more Read less

See it if you like fast, clear, smart, idiomatic tweakings of Shakespeare.

Don't see it if a loud production in a little tiny space might jangle you.

Also Corkscrew is billing this as “Hootenany 12th Night.” I’m old enough to remember when Hootenanny was a Saturday night TV show with the Kingston Trio in button-down shirts. Thankfully this production is light years more self-aware. It in fact is a fast, musical, clear, funny, touching, stripped down production of Shakespeare’s greatest true comedy, & deepest because it brushes with tragedy, most clearly in the almost-comic gull Malvolio, whose dark fate is here evoked with shattering directness & simplicity. A lover of Shakespearean song might grouse that this production jettisons all but 1 of the brilliant originals (in the canon only “The Tempest” has better) for lots of other musical numbers, imported from folk & pop. But the result is so natural, raucous, tuneful &, in the small Paradise basement space, enveloping, that I applaud the choice. All the actors (many top-notch music-makers as well) delight. If you love sharp vernacular takes on Shakespeare you won’t want to miss this.... Read more Read less