Illyria Theatre Company: Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
Logie Steading - 07/08/23
Illyria have got it right. They have presented touring outdoor theatre for thirty-two years. An audience of over one hundred packed the courtyard at the beautiful Logie Steading proving there is still an appetite for Shakespeare in the Highlands despite the vagaries of Scottish weather. Fortunately, yesterday evening turned out to be a chilly, sometimes sunny, rain free evening. Wrapped up under our rugs, we enjoyed two and half hours of one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays. Illyria do the Bard’s work in full, albeit played by a cast of five, adeptly changing characters with terrific skill. Rehearsals must have been fun. It brought back memories of my St Bernard’s Convent High School days where we were annually expected to compete in The Shakespeare Cup, presenting one act from the play we were studying. Dame Helen Mirren was always the star. She was a year below me. So, ‘Twelfth Night’ was a popular choice. With cross dressing, achievable in an all-girls school, and the sight of Malvolio’s yellow cross garters, it featured strongly in the curriculum. Illyria bring the comedy to the fore, deftly ignoring the dismissal of poor Malvolio to the lunatic asylum. So very un-PC.
Played on a minimal stage truck with a centre-raised platform the actors recreate the story much as travelling players must have done throughout the ages. Orsino’s famous opening lines ‘If music be the food of love’ are delivered with charming violin played by MacKenzie Mellen who appears in multiple roles throughout the show, particularly strong as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, with a smooth American accent. David Sayers gives us an excellent comic drunk in Sir Toby Belch as well as a smooth Orsino and Nick Taylor manages to get all the laughs as Malvolio, appearing in not just yellow stocking but a complete yellow (dare I say) chicken outfit. Callum Stewart backs up in every lively role imaginable Despite her lack of physicality, Amy Lockwood is a credible Viola/Ceasario doubling as Maria, although the beauty of ‘I left no ring with her’ and ‘Make me a willow cabin at your gate’ key speeches are lost with the fast comic pace of the production. A full text and a talented cast by experienced director Oliver Gray makes this show everything the audience are there for. As the skies darkened and night approached the audience cheered and packed away their picnic baskets and chairs. All hail to Panny Laing for bringing this admirable company to the estate every year. Illyria tour three productions all over the UK throughout the summer months.
