The rain fell, the wind blew – no, this wasn’t The Tempest, but the opening night of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night – tucked away in a wet corner of Oxford’s University Parks, on the most unfortunate evening of this glorious summer.
The weather would have tested even the most hardened of professionals, but Oxford Theatre Guild soldiered on valiantly, despite the soaking, to bring us some of Shakespeare’s most divine characters – Andrew Aguecheek (the embodiment of self-regarding folly), Sir Toby Belch (drunk in every situation) and Malvolio (preening self-deception) as we laughed along at their foolishness, only Malvolio’s unwitting humiliation confronting us uncomfortably with the essential humanity behind even the most comic of characters.
David Leigh Delport (Andrew Aguecheek), was in his element in spangly pink shorts and pink boxing gloves, whilst the musicians – Laura Marr, James Currie and Alan Snelling – helped to drive the performance along and keep the pace cracking, sharply edited by director Michael Corbidge for the early closing times of University Parks.
Standout performances included 17 year-old Joe Lamb as the twin Sebastian – who is certainly one to watch, Ellie Higginbotham as his sister Viola, Freyja Madsen as the comic centrepiece Malvolio; Fifi Homan as the lovelorn lady Olivia, and Ellen Publicover (Maria), all of whom relaxed into their roles and began enjoying themselves as the evening went on.
And whilst there were lovely moments of wit and frolicking, all very clearly delivered, one can only assume that as the cast find their feet and settle into the rhythm of Twelfth Night, so their confidence will grow, hopefully unimpeded by rain. Either way, OTG’s determination that the show ‘must go on’ regardless of the calamitous weather, must be applauded.
Twelfth Night at University Parks runs until July 26. Book here: https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/twelfth-night-by-william-shakespeare
SHEILA BAILEY
