Review By M.T. Bennett, Front Row Reviewers
For a comedy in the truest sense, there are few more delightful than William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, which is full of mistaken identities, pranks, flipped gender norms, love, and marriage. Salt Lake City’s Parker Theatre has done a masterful job, leaving the audience in fits of laughter. Parker Theater is a vintage building that was once the historic Avalon movie theater but was remodeled with 1930s Art Nouveau architecture and style. You walk in and old timey jazz is playing, you can treat yourself to a mint julep at the concessions, or even a delicious brownie made by an on-site chef. For this production I recommend getting “Malvolio’s 12 Pick Mix” before settling into the show.
As you move back to the stage, you’ll move even further back in time. The audience is thrown right into the stormy sea with the sounds of waves, rain, and gulls literally setting the stage for what is to come. The sound design by Anthony Buck and David Campbell is superb and subtle enough not to be overwhelming. Instead, it prompts the audience to really feel like they are part of the setting. For example, during the intermission, instead of silence, there are bird calls that helped us feel we were really in a garden plaza. Further, none of the actors use microphones, yet they are clear and understandable, and none are drowned out by the immersive ambient sounds.
Buck is also the director of the production and again should be commended for his subtlety and comedic eye. The script for Twelfth Night is available for all to see since the 1600’s and while there is the barest of stage direction, Buck inserted many quick and hilarious moments and character interactions. One example is Camrey Fox, plays Viola who is impersonating a man, Cesario. At one point she curtseys to another lady, quickly recognizes the faux pax of a supposed man curtseying, and formally bows instead. The characters all have these quick but silly moments and charming interactions with one another that spoke to Buck’s great direction.
The actors’ very physical and lively performances also spoke to Buck’s direction and really help to bring the Bard’s words and humor to the audience. The cast is animated and fun, with dancing, sword fights, and two drunken characters that had the audience giggling with abandon through their extended stumbling in the night. A lot of thought went beyond the script, which really made this production its own taste of Twelfth Night.
Never in my life have I seen a real working fountain on a stage, but Parker Theatre wows us with their marble statue fountain in the middle of the town square. It was a brave choice by Set and Lighting Designers James B. Parker and Caleb Ceran, but it paid off well when the austere Malvolio, played by David Johnson, falls and frolicks with abandon in the water. I admired the management of this wet mess. Instead of sending someone dressed in black between scenes to towel up any splashes, a cast member dressed as a serving maid dried up the water. The audience stayed in the moment and the players stayed safe. The whole set is beautiful and, even with so many scene changes, flows magnificently. The properties, managed by Erin Oliphant, keep everything cohesive.
Shannara Jones should be commended in her role in Hair and Makeup for the difficult task of getting a moustache to stay on a cast member for the majority of the play, yet still be able to easily remove at the moment of revelation that Cesario is actually Viola. I also have to confess, that when the drunken knave who detests drunken knaves, Sir Toby, played by Tyler Oliphant came onto the scene I thought to myself, “Wow, that guy looks ruddy and flushed, he looks like he is really into his part and is actually very drunk.” I took a moment and realized, “Oh yea, the magic of makeup!” Each cast member looks phenomenal.
Paige Burton‘s sumptuous costumes make each diverse cast member visually distinct from every other. The audience loved the absolutely ridiculous costume for Malvolio as he tries to woo Olivia. His yellow socks and cross-garters, reddish pants, and a yellow coat embroidered with flowers creates in Malvolio the fool he is meant to be.
Sound and Light Operator Colby Carpenter‘s lighting fits each scene, from a lunatic’s dark prison, to the bright palatial light of the Count’s home, to the storm and lightning of a shipwreck. The whole production is masterfully done and impressive to behold. All of this is certainly made possible with the efforts of Stage Manager Liz Nielsen who seamlessly brings all the many moments and players together for a top-notch production.
Complementing the incredible production is the work of each amazing actor in this show. Fox’s depiction of Viola/Cesario is energetic and expressive. Her delivery of every line shows an understanding of the material, and she plays the farce well. She displays all the difficult emotions as she professes love to someone on behalf of the man she herself loves. From the very moment Duke Orsino’s hand is placed on “Cesario’s” shoulder, the audience knows Viola is in love.
Duke Orsino played by Jason Hackney is shown as lovesick jock perfect for the character. When all the misunderstandings were coming to light, Hackney’s expressions and reactions in the final scenes are hilarious.
Olivia, played by Hannah McKinnon, shows her acting chops, starting from a mourning shrew, to actively twitterpated pursuant of love, to bride, to a shocked new wife, but she delivers all with great humor. She is also a quick change artist, as she has the most costume changes that progressed in each of these scenes: starting with a black dress and moving toward brighter and more extravagant dresses as she became more besotted with love. One of the fun interactions with Oliva was seeing her mix up Cesario and Sebastian, and as she does, she would note the difference in heights and bicep size, either to great satisfaction or some disappointment and confusion. These small touches really add to the show.
Sebastian, played by Alex Glover, is part of one of the show’s bromances, rounded out by Jarod Lewis’ Antonio. Glover and Lewis are the strong heroic type characters and are apart from the cast for most of the play, but when they join the story, they are an welcome and uproarious addition. The other bromance, though more abusive in nature, is given to us with the debauched Sir Toby, played by Tyler Oliphant, and Sir Andrew Aquecheek, by Scott Butler. This bromance isn’t the heroic type but the clownish buffoon type, and both these fine actors deliver the goods. Oliphant brings a presence and a booming voice to the stage as he leads his group of pranksters. Butler should be cast in a production of The Scarlet Pimpernel because he plays the foppish fool to perfection.
Maria, played by Katherine Tietjen, is an essential part of this comedic group, not just because she marries Sir Toby, but she is the real brains behind most of their plots. She is hilarious when she and another member of the prank brigade, Fabian (Jaxton Brenner), hold their crucifixes up and wail in mock horror at Malvolio’s antics that they themselves are causing.
David Johnson is a perfect Malvolio. With expressive brows and eyes he embodies the “little man thinking himself great” and farcical pride that all the others love to make fun of. Despite his austerity, he lets loose with energy, lounging and frolicking in the fountain, and an uncomfortable amount of hip thrusts in his yellow outfit. Johnson is a convincing fool.
Owen Briggs played Feste the Fool, and he is a gem in Parker Theatre’s Twelfth Night. I’ve never heard so many songs in a Shakespeare play before. In many productions, players recite or chant the lyrics, but Briggs sings a number of songs, even leading off in a song and the entire cast sings and dances at the end. Briggs delivers some of the best wordplay in the script and ties all the characters and the ensemble cast together.
“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Parker Theatre achieves greatness with their perfect team for this production and delivers a stand-out show of one of history’s favorite plays. If you want something fun, light-hearted, incredibly clever in the script and acting, then Parker Theater’ Twelfth Night is for you.
Parker Theatre presents Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare.
Parker Theare, 3605 South State Street, South Salt Lake, UT 84115
August 3 – September 7, 2024 Fridays (7:30) and Saturdays (3:30 & 7:30), Adults $27, Children $18
Contact info: boxoffice@parkertheatre.org, 801-532-6000
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