Twelfth Night at the Lantern Theater
Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the Lantern Theater Company’s Twelfth Night. LTC’s production of Shakespeare’s revered comedy was inspiring, tender, and entertaining! The performers did a fabulous job. Their hard work was evident, and I found myself fascinated by every second of the two hour, fifteen minute run production. I have not read or interacted with Twelfth Night before, and O decided to go into the play without reading it prior. Luckily for me, the actors clearly told the story and navigated through the Elizabethan language which can be difficult for the ears of modern listeners. In particular, Lee Minor’s performance as Maria and David Ingram’s as Malvolio were particularly funny, and the trickery and confusion which happened between them had the entire audience laughing.
Photo by Mark Garvin
Another fabulous aspect of Twelfth Night was the scenery. Set in an intimate space, the set included relics both old and new. This, along with a historical range of costumes, drove home the universality of Shakespeare’s stories. As the audience, we understood that Twelfth Night did not need a set date to function properly. The story rings true and captures the complexities of human emotion just as much today as it did over 400 years ago when it was first performed. To add to this, one scene which greatly impressed me was Act IV, Scene ii. Not only was Charlie DelMarcelle’s delivery as Feste incredibly amusing, but the technical design for the scene allowed the actors onstage to thrive. The dark stage, which was lit only by lanterns and surrounded by crickets chirping, allowed the audience to more fully experience the fully realized scene. Additionally, the use of a trapdoor to reveal Malvolio’s hands coming from the cellar took my attention away from the actor, who was then spotlighted downstage for his lines. This clever trick was exciting to watch and was a reminder of how much talented designers can positively impact a production! In addition to this, the added element of music added a sweetness and togetherness to the performance which truly made it unique. Led by DelMarcelle (Feste), the entire cast began and concluded this lovely performance with song (and had many musical additions throughout as well!)
Another crucial aspect of the play is the swapped gender disguises. Viola's disguise as Cesario reflects the flip of gender dynamics which appears in many of Shakespeare's plays. Namely, Viola's story is particularly reminiscent of Rosalind's in As You Like It. Both protagonists use disguises to swap the gender norms because, by posing as men, they control their situations. Assuming this disguise grants both characters the agency they typically lack.
Photo by Mark Garvin
Both Illyria and the Forest of Arden are magical realms which allow their heroines to thrive, which partially happens because they are not restrained by patriarchal norms. I've learned that two realms (one more traditional which enforces the patriarchy and the other more free and full of magic) are often present in Shakespeare's comedies. I would say that Messaline (Viola and Sebastian's place of origin) is the world of tradition and Illyria is that of freedom. Additionally, I really enjoyed how LTC's production played on this and allowed their characters to be attracted to other characters of the same sex. For example, it is clear from the start that Orsino is attracted to Cesario and Antonio is attracted to Sebastian. I really enjoyed the way that the actors displayed these attractions and how LTC embraced the way in which Twelfth Night contradicts patriarchal standards.
Kudos to everyone involved in Lantern Theater Company’s Twelfth Night. I had a wonderful experience, and I highly recommend taking a trip to St. Stephens Theater to support this company and its talented cast and crew from now until June 18th!
Cover photo by Mark Garvin
