Globe Theatre, London
Imaginative directorial tweaks and an expert cast bring out the full effects of a text stuffed with double-meanings, gender-swapped disguises and dextrous language
Post-pandemic theatre in the UK seems to be bringing us a slew of upbeat musical revivals, classics and feelgood fare. Shakespeare’s most merry of romps, abounding with music, love triangles and pleasing silliness, sits squarely among it. Whether these shows mark a collective retreat into comfort viewing and escapism is a moot point. What is clear is that Sean Holmes’s production excels at the job of lifting us up and making us laugh.
Every comic character is clearly drawn and expertly played. A swaggering and sometimes staggering Sir Toby Belch (Nadine Higgin) comes on with a crate of beer. Andrew Aguecheek (George Fouracres) is a fantastic idiot in pastel colours and a cravat. Victoria Elliott’s wise clown, Feste, is whip-smart and nimble, albeit with a too soft singing voice that doesn’t carry above the orchestra. Sophie Russell plays Malvolio as an understated puritan until bursting into his awful comic incarnation in a yellow body-sock. All are genuinely funny with excellent comic timing, and bring out the full effects of a text that is stuffed full of double meanings and dexterous language.
