Twelfth Night

2014 was an important year for the Shakespeare-loving fraternity, being the 450th anniversary of the great man’s birth and it was no surprise to me that the Mask Theatre was going to mark the occasion in style.   A series of imaginative events were planned with Twelfth Night being their major production.

Twelfth Night, arguably Shakespeare’s greatest comedy, would be a challenge for any amateur society.  A tale of deception, disguise and the madness of love all wrapped up in a fast-paced, classic farce which, when done well, is seriously funny…and The Mask definitely done it well.

The Mask is a theatre group that understands Shakespeare; not in a stuffy “aren’t we clever” kind of way but with a humility which makes their productions appeal to the common man, just as Shakespeare himself intended.  From the front of house reception, which is relaxed yet efficient to the performance on stage, where the love of Shakespeare is so evident, The Mask have much to be proud of.

The setting in Peterborough Central Park is the perfect backdrop for open-air theatre and thank goodness there was no attempt to mess with what nature had provided.  The beautiful big trees and the natural rake of the land is all that is needed plus a little help with some clever lighting and sound. 

Costumes were designed by Jill Ward and were modern day but each had a flash of fluorescent colour, which brought everything together nicely.   The props were very well designed and multi-functional but easily managed by the cast.

And so to the cast…I really do love the company of actors and, on this occasion, I was in very good company.   Being in the audience of a Mask production does certainly feel like you are a welcome guest.  The actors are superb at drawing in their audience and engaging with them in a wholly appropriate manner.   This is a skill in itself and shows a confidence in the play and in each other.

Half the battle in producing a good play is getting the casting just right and it was clear from the opening line that this was a rock-solid cast.  Everyone knew their place; everyone knew their part and everyone worked as part of a team.  If there was a prima-donna element it didn’t show and therefore didn’t exist. 

As with everything in life, the timing’s the thing.  Twelfth Night requires slick timing, pacey, larger than life performances and a commitment from everyone in the cast…not just the leads.  And all played their parts with relish and the audience reaction said it all.  There was much laughter and enjoyment and as the evening drew on and became slightly chilly, the pleasure for the audience did not wane.

I don’t want to highlight individual performances because there were no weak links for me and it would be disingenuous to suggest otherwise, but…having said that a quick shout out for Ben Stroud as the fool Feste; well-done Ben, you handled a difficult role with great professionalism and handled well the considerable musical elements involved.   Your eye contact with the audience was well used and I hope you feel proud of what you achieved. 

I also want to mention Luke Day as Malvolio…Luke has appeared in every Mask production I've seen and I know why; he always gives a captivating performance.  I don’t know whether it’s his striking blue eyes that make him so noticeable but he certainly does have a presence and, quite frankly, that is a gift.  His yellow stockings and crossed garters scene was marvellously funny and I never expected it to be quite so well-conceived, having previously seen Stephen Fry play Malvolio at the Globe.  

A huge well-done to the entire cast…you all deserve the praise that I'm sure has been heaped upon you.   You always give more than expected and the additional little flourishing really do make a difference.  The choreography also deserves a special mention as it brings an authenticity to the production and allows the audience to applaud you in the spirit of this fun play.  Well done to your choreographer Helen McCay.  All the elements came together on the evening I saw Twelfth Night and congratulations must go to John Crisp, Stage Manager, for keeping everything running so smoothly.

Finally, Tom Fox is in my opinion, a superb director.  He clearly brings out the best in his actors and I imagine he allows them creative input, which is a critical part in bonding actors with actors, actors with play and actors with audience.  Huge respect to you Tom and I hope you continue to go from strength to strength.

Look, I am a real fan of The Mask Theatre group because I know you are going to give of your best.  You love what you do and it shows and I know that whether the auditorium had ten or a thousand present, you would never compromise or short change your audience.

I wish you the very best of luck with your 2015 programme which I know will be as exciting as I have come to expect from you.

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