Billed as a swashbuckling adventure, Ellesmere Port’s Boaty Theatre Company have brought their pirate themed adaptation of Twelfth Night across the river to St Luke’s following its popular appearance at Bridge Wellness Gardens in July.
Boaty deliver community focused performances that are inclusive, accessible and above all fun, and this Twelfth Night is a fine example of a company making Shakespeare appealing for an audience of all ages. What is particularly interesting to watch in this, as with other similar adaptations of the works, is the way that children, who don’t worry about things like gender stereotypes, seem to find it much less of a challenge than adults to follow those of Shakespeare’s plays that involve cross-dressing, disguise and impersonation.
In a story that begins with a shipwreck, what could be more fun than to transform the Bard’s Duke Orsino into a pirate, the Captain Orsina, played with pantomime relish by Jane Hamlet. It makes for some additional confusion over the complicated story of seduction and mistaken identity, but that really doesn’t matter when most of the fun is to be had with the gulling of pompous characters.
Most pompous of all of course is Malvolio, or today Malvolia, in a characterisation from Mikyla Jane Durkan that adds a touch of Madame Arcati to the self-obsessed steward who ends up with more than her garters crossed.
Most of the characters in the story are of course set in pairs – a duke and a countess, a brother and sister, a steward and a gentlewoman – and the focus of much of the comedy rests with the duo of everybody’s favourite embarrassing uncle Sir Toby and his strange friend Sir Andrew. One of the strongest performances in the show comes from the scene-stealing Mike Bell as Sir Toby Belch, and never far behind him is Sir Andrew Agucheek, in a reading by Robbie James Williamson that’s so far over the top it’s sometimes difficult to catch hold of.
Among a cast that also features great performances from Charlotte Graves and Amy-Lou Harris as Olivia and Viola/Cesario, comes a star turn from Boaty’s founder Laura Harris, whose Feste keeps the whole story hanging together, whilst also being one of a number of the players doubling as musicians, supporting the offstage band who, in turn, join the action at times.
Whilst the narrative might hit a few bumps and doesn’t always flow entirely seamlessly, this is a Twelfth Night that is a particular delight for younger audiences, and offers 2 hours of great family entertainment.
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| Mike Bell and Robbie James Williamson as Sir Toby and Sir Andrew |
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| Mike Bell and Laura Harris as Sir Toby and Feste |
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| Amy Lou Harris as Viola |
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| Jane Hamlet as Captain Orsina |
This review was originally written for publication by Good News Liverpool
Star rating – 3 stars
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