Theater Review: Academy’s ‘Twelfth Night’ Delivers Laughs Aplenty

 “Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.” 

You’ve never heard this line from Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night” quite like the way you will in the Academy Playhouse’s production. Kudos to Playhouse director Judy Hamer and actor John Hanright for the hilarious delivery. And that’s just one of the many lines and scenes from the play that will have you in stitches. 

William Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon, sometimes intimidates theatergoers; they’re nervous they won’t understand the poetic yet possibly convoluted dialogue. Not an issue here! Hamer and crew have given the words the correct intonations and inflections so it’s very easy to understand. And it’s so fun and funny! 

There’s plenty going on. Viola believes her twin brother Sebastian has drowned and in her mourning she dons his attire and becomes Cesario; Sir Toby and his drinking buddies Fabian and Sir Andrew along with Countess Olivia’s lady-in-waiting Maria make sport of Malvolio, as Duke Orsino pines for love in a very flamboyant manner and Olivia yearns for it, too, but in a more sedated way. Following along to see who will end up with who is hilarious fun! 

Kerry Fitzgibbons has a very witty air and portrays Viola’s Cesario with a twinkle in her eye. Nicholas Dorr is a scene-stealer as Sir Toby. He and his buddies Fabian (Billy Weimer) and Sir Andrew (Mark Roderick) are a very enjoyable part of the show for both their comedic talents and physicality. Roderick makes use of a small area of the stage to flip and cartwheel! Clever Maria (Jane Sincere Morris) was in on all the jokes on Malvolio, and Morris was delightful at showing her pleasure in the pranks. Director/costume designer Hamer’s choice of modern day clothing was spot-on. We loved Fabian’s hat and Malvolio’s “transformation” attire. Hanright as Malvolio was fabulous; he turned from a wound-tight pompous man to a lovesick fool and then to a blithering idiot effortlessly. 

There’s really not a weak link in the cast. Standouts on the day we were there, other than the aforementioned, were Izaak Van Der Wende as the Fool, DJ Kostka as the Duke and Jennifer Almeida as Olivia. The remainder of the cast all added to the complexity and hilarity of the production. They are Amy Kraskouskas (Valentine), Suzanne Fecteau (Vera), Gianna Casale/Jennifer Kangas (Ukulele Player), Jace Carpenter (Captain/Priest), Julie Randall (Marena), Jacob Rabold (Sebastian), Erica Morris (Antonia) and Sylvie Weimer (Fabian’s Daughter). 

The entire production crew were also cast members, and their talents shone both on the stage and in its design. They were Roderick (tech director), Dorr and Roderick (set design), and Kangas (stage manager and lighting design), with Casale as the assistant stage manager. The set was stupendous: a fountain with running water in a garden with walls for hiding and peeking, and on an upper level the opulent Duke’s room where he reposed and whined, all framed by a glowing blue backdrop. The unique way this theater is set up made you feel like you were sitting in an estate’s garden as you watched the hilarious goings-on. 

One never knows what to expect when you go to a Shakespearean play, but you can easily see how the Bard really did invent the premise for the romantic comedies we see in movies today. At two and a half hours, with a 15-minute intermission, which is plenty of time to enjoy a glass of wine in the lobby, this production is a very enjoyable night out.