Twelfth Night

Beneath the twinkling stars and set in the idyllic and enchanted grounds of Central Park in Malvern is Melbourne Shakespeare Company’s adaptation of Twelfth Night. Be sure to take your picnic rug, cushions, your favourite cheeses, crackers, fig jam paste, bubbles and any other treat you require and let the Twelfth Night cast deliver wit, wisdom and mischief with all the charm and humour you can expect. 

For those that may not be familiar, She’s the Man is based on the Bard’s classic tale. This version sees Viola, a young Melbourne socialite, become shipwrecked on the shores of a strange and mysterious kingdom, fearing she will never see her twin brother, Sebastian, again. Ever the thrill-seeker, Viola dons a man’s get-up and unintentionally bewitches the fair Olivia and Orsino, proving to be a love triangle for the ages.

‘I love Twelfth Night for its playfulness. Shakespeare presents us with a world of larger-than-life characters, some of whom take themselves far too seriously, some who take nothing seriously at all. It is a play of disguises and shipwrecks, takedowns and comeuppances,’ says Melbourne Shakespeare’s director Paul Robertson. 

As a lover of Shakespeare, I found myself entertained right from the get-go. The ensemble cast were riveting and frivolous while they weaved the elaborate Shakespearean web that ultimately implodes in the most sensational and farcical way possible. Special shout outs go to Kala Gare (Olivia), Meg Mckibbin (Viola) and Jonathan Peck (Malvolio) whose performances garnered the most laughs from the crowd. 

Twelfth Night at Central Park is the perfect way to end the weekend. Feel free to take your family, a friend, or a special someone. Afterall, “journeys end in lovers meeting”.

Twelfth Night
Till Sunday, 17 March 2019, 2pm and 7pm
Central Park, 148 Burke Road, Malvern
melbourneshakespeare.com/twelfthnight