[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of the Kingsmen Shakespeare Company’s production of Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare, directed by Brett Elliot.
I think Twelfth Night is probably my favorite of Shakespeare’s plays. At least it is now, after seeing the absolutely spectacular Kingsmen Shakespeare Company’s production!
There is nothing quite like seeing Shakespeare outside. Kingsmen Shakespeare Company has been using the lovely parklike ground of California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks since 1997 for their annual festival.
At night, sitting under the huge trees with a cool, Pacific breeze and the dulcet tones of the frogs in the nearby creek, it’s magical.
Families gather who have been regular attendees for decades, they sit on blankets and share food and wine and make precious memories waiting for the performance to begin.
So let’s talk about that performance. It’s true I love Shakespeare and I am already partial to The Kingsmen and Twelfth Night.
But none of that could prepare me for just how excellent this production of this wonderful play is. Every single actor was absolutely brilliant.
The casting was superb, in fact. Viola, the shipwrecked heroine of the play who disguises herself as a man, then falls madly in love with her master, the hunky Duke Orsino who is in love with Lady Olivia, who then comically falls in love with Viola thinking she is a he as he woos her on Orsino’s behalf. Then there are all the other glorious characters who make this play so special. The fool, who ties all the stories together and entertains with his wry wit and poignant asides. Olivia’s uncle Sir Toby Belch, whose only motivation it seems is to drink and be merry and to cause as much mischief as possible with the ample help Olivia’s staff and his friend Malvolio, a rich man who he fools into thinking Olivia is charmed by him, just so he can keep him paying for all his fun. There is also more music than most of Shakespeare’s play, and in this production, the chorus beautifully transitions the scenes from storyline to storyline. Twelfth Night is an utter delight of a play and the Kingsmen have made the very most of every single line.
The performances are wonderful, perfection in fact. Every character just as I have always imagined them. Every nuance and pout, every heart flutter, every glance, every sarcastic aside. It’s flawless and enchanting and absolutely brilliant!
So if you like Shakespeare and love sitting in the cool night air, munching on your picnic and sipping on your wine, then The Kingsmen Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is for you!
They have one more weekend before they switch to their next production of the summer, Cymbeline…which I am also very excited about. So don’t dawdle! Grab your picnic baskets and your blankets…it gets gloriously cool up there at night!
Tickets:
https://ci.ovationtix.com/35972
Where:
Kingsmen Park
California Lutheran University
60 W Olsen Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
When:
June 20-22, June 27-29 and July 3, 5-6 at 8PM
Twelfth Night Cast:
Jess Andrews, Arizsia Staton, Tessa Slovis, Sets Wainiqolo, Will Block, Dance Oliver, Ted Barton, Lane Davies, Taylor Marr, Anna DeMaria, Caitlin Arndt, Andy Babinski, Hadley Julca, Arden Carethers, Gillian Rains, Viva Corless, Alex Mitchell, James McClam, Jude Monge, Troy Martinez, Christopher Karbo, Tal Toker
https://www.kingsmenshakespeare.org
******
Enjoy the NoHo Arts District even more, see what shows are playing and check out our theatre guide>>