“We want to have fun with Twelfth Night, so our adaption is fast, fun and full of frolics, with great comic characters, romantic leads, humour and a sprinkling of magic dust,” OTG directors Michael Corbridge and Martha Gray explain with glee.
Anyone who witnessed the duo’s The Tempest for Oxford Theatre Guild in 2022 READ OUR REVIEW HERE will know what a treat is in store as they prepare to bring Shakespeare’s classic comedy from July 15–26 in Oxford’s University Parks.
we want the audience to be moved, to make them laugh and for them to emerge saying ‘I didn’t realise Shakespeare was so much fun’. We want to change their perceptions’
Having been given the green light to help celebrate OTG‘s 70th anniversary year, they add: “It’s our next big adventure.”
“And there’s nothing better than staging outdoor productions, surrounded by nature, sitting in the round. It’s such a great way to spend an evening!”
So what can we expect? “We’re going into it like it’s our first show, without any former imprints, because we want the audience to be moved, to make them laugh and for them to emerge saying ‘I didn’t realise Shakespeare was so much fun’. We want to change their perceptions,” Martha explains.
Set in the 1980s in the Cotswolds, with music including Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill, Michael says: “that was the litmus that lit the production, because the story must be totally accessible, and everyone likes the 80s.
‘we love outdoor productions, being surrounded by nature, sitting in the round. What a great way to spend an evening!’
The Twelfth Night plot of course revolves around twins Viola and Sebastian shipwrecked on an island and separated. Viola disguises herself as Cesario, working for Duke Orsino, with whom she falls in love. Orsino is in love with Countess Olivia, but Olivia falls for Viola in disguise as a man.Â
Meanwhile, Olivia’s dodgy relative Sir Toby Belch schemes with his friend Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and servants Maria, Feste and Malvolio become embroiled in the fun as ‘midsummer madness’ takes hold.
Lots of fun and frolics then? “We want everyone to have a good time, so we’ve done some judicial pruning so that our audience can still make the last bus home, whilst ensuring they have a rollicking good time out in the beautiful setting of Uni Parks,” Michael says.
“It’s our job to make sure the audience is entirely captivated, by harnessing the space to tell the story. So bring a picnic, some champagne and be thoroughly entertained,” he adds.
Michael teaches, lectures and works for the RSC and Martha, a lawyer, is taking an MA in Professional Voice Practice, so Twelfth Night is in expert hands.
‘It’s our job to make sure the audience are entirely captivated, by harnessing the space to tell the story. So bring a picnic, some champagne and be thoroughly entertained’
“Shakespeare has left a blueprint on a page for actors to work with, it’s all in the language, so it’s incredibly thrilling to be bringing Twelfth Night to Oxford, but we do it for the same reason as everyone else – because we love it. “And we really enjoy working with OTG – they have a huge presence in Oxford which attracts some incredible actors, many on their way up, cutting their teeth, other former professionals, and so much talent.
“So we’ve spent time ensuring that the OTG cast develop their abilities further and bring their true selves to the production,” Michael says.
OTG’s Twelfth Night runs from July 15-26 at Oxford University Parks https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/twelfth-night-by-william-shakespeare
