Review: Much Ado About Shakespeare Workshop’s Twelfth Night

There can't be a whole lot wrong with a production filled with youth, enthusiasm and energy. Much Ado About Shakespeare Workshop's Twelfth Night demonstrated these qualities and more. Some of the mostly-inexperienced actors started off a little uncertain but quickly overcome their trepidation -- right about the first time the audience laughed. They relaxed into their parts, and before long, we were all carried away to Shakespeare's Illyria. Everyone had a good time.

Director Jeff Dolan's bio indicated a lot of experience as an actor, but this was his first experience as a director. A couple of notes for him: The shifting of furniture between scenes took too much time. He could have eliminated most of the "set changes" by just leaving a couple of benches on stage. We didn't need all the tables and garden furniture. The items chosen were well thought out, but mostly unnecessary. Second, I was taught that the director needs to move around the audience area to be sure that all the action is within the view of the entire audience. I haven't watched too many directors actually move around and examine the lines of sight, but in this case it would have been a good idea. Too much of the action was blocked by the trees planted on the sides of the stage of the amphitheater. (I suppose the school that lent its outdoor arena would have objected if they had been removed. :-)) Still, a director can't count on people sitting where he wants them to. He needs to be sure that all the action is visible no matter what the audience does.

To give credit where it is due, faced with the problem of giving all of participants in the workshop the maximum time on stage, the director solved it neatly by having the students pantomime a street scene. It gave the persons playing minor roles more time on stage, which helps the students get accustomed to being in front of an audience.

Besides, it was cute.

I'm not going to mention the idiot who went out and adjusted the backdrop WHILE THE CAST WAS ON STAGE AND PERFORMING. He is old enough and experienced enough to know better.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. If the cast is having fun, the audience will, too.

In this case, another of my maxims about theater was demonstrated; theater is a participatory activity. The Twelfth Night audience's enjoyment and encouragement helped the actors overcome their initial stiffness. (Unfortunately, I've seen it work the other way, some audiences just don't respond, no matter what. Then, instead of loosening up, the actors become more wooden.) I've told children to remember that the audience for the most part wants them to succeed; they come to be entertained. This is almost always true in youth productions since most of audience consists of the friends and relatives of the performers. But it is generally true of Community Theaters, as well, the audience comes expecting to be entertained and will meet the performers halfway.

The glory of theater is that it is always a group effort: everyone is important; not just the director and the actors, the technical crew, the writer, the box office, the ushers -- and the audience participate in the making of a great show. By that standard, Much Ado About Shakespeare Workshop's Twelfth Night is a great show.