Tower Players produce ‘Twelfth Night’

Home Culture Tower Players produce ‘Twelfth Night’
The Tower Players perform Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” set in 18th-century Bermuda, from Wednesday to Sunday this week. Elena Creed | Collegian
The Tower Players perform Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” set in 18th-century Bermuda, from Wednesday to Sunday this week. Elena Creed | Collegian

Thunder cracks through the darkened Markel Auditorium as a ship looms across the stage, marking the beginning of the Tower Players’ production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” which opened last night in the Sage Center for the Arts.

The play’s opening scene is a shipwreck off the coast of 18th-century Bermuda. As the storm subsides onstage, the play’s heroine Viola, played by junior Grace Link, finds herself lost in a strange land, believing her twin brother Sebastian, played by sophomore Quentin Herman,  has perished in the wreck.

But despite its sinister beginning, Shakespeare’s beloved play is a comedy. Viola soon dresses as a man and goes to work for Orsino, a man infatuated with a woman named Olivia. While dressed as a man, Viola unwittingly causes Olivia to fall in love with her, and the three are left in a hopeless — and hilarious — love triangle.

Director Professor of Theatre George Angell chose to set the play in Bermuda, noting that it made a good location for a play that begins with a shipwreck. According to the actors, his laid-back directing style has allowed the actors plenty of freedom to improvise, an attribute that many of them said they appreciate.

“At this point, they really own the characters,” Angell said. “They’re coming up with ideas all the time and continuing to try them out. Coffey comes up with things every night, which is good. Sometimes I have to say ‘that doesn’t work,’ and other times I can say ‘that was great, keep that.’”

“I love George. I love his attitude, he’s so chill,” junior Elly Guensche, who plays Antonia, said. “He’s a really smart director but he gives actors a lot of freedom at the same time, which I think is really nice.”

The downside of this approach are the dud attempts — the times when the actors improvise without success and Angell has to mention these instances to actors in their notes.

The reward, however, is an energetic, lively, thoughtful cast that always considers ways to improve.

Link said she was intimidated when she first started practicing for the role.

“I’m pretty intimidated because it’s a big role,” she said.  “I’ve never had a huge role while in college.”

But Link’s natural performance is sure to dazzle. Her facial expressions create a stage presence which draws all eyes to her. As she assures Olivia she cannot love “another woman,” she backs away and alters her voice convincingly.

In a different tone, but also with stellar performances, the most comedic characters — Feste the jester, played by senior Catherine Coffey; Uncle Toby, played by sophomore Nikolai Dignoti; and Toby’s friend Andrew, played by junior Andrew Egger — communicate on stage with the ease of experienced actors.

“They had wonderful chemistry in the comedic scenes. Their interactions were hilarious!” junior Hailey Morgan commented after watching the performance.  

Meanwhile, senior Micah Meadowcroft compellingly portrays head servant Malvolio as a character worth pitying. Meadowcroft shows how the hilariously strict and self-obsessed character must exist in order to allow the other characters to fool around.

Guensche auditioned for the play while reminiscing on her high school Shakespeare performances, and was thrilled when she received the part of Antonia, who saves the life of Sebastian. Since Antonia is part of a fight scene, Guensche learned from the skilled stunt choreographer. The duels add excitement and movement across stage, keeping the plot interesting.

“It’s been a really interesting and different thing to be doing this semester. I never knew how fun the theatre department was!” Guensche said. “It’s a big time commitment, but it’s definitely rewarding and I’m really excited for everyone to come see it.”

Every element of the performance contributes to the unified aesthetic and success of the play. The play’s music, written by Coffey, befits the setting and time period, while the scenery — consisting primarily of two ships and an ocean background — adds color and ease of understanding to the performance. Angell pointed out that Olivia’s ship is much more feminine than Orsino’s; it even has “hips.”

The whole cast doesn’t appear on stage together until the final witty scene, which culminates in one reunion, two impulsive marriages, and a happily ever after.

The Tower Players’ production of “Twelfth Night” opened last night and continues with performances at 8 p.m. tonight, Friday, and Saturday, with a matinee at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Reservations are required.