Download Twelfth Night – Director`s Proposal

Kim Hurley
11/12/08
Twelfth Night
Everybody, at some point in their life, has dealt with deception. People lie, hide
things, or even disguise themselves from other people. Sometimes, these actions can
have serious consequences. At other times, they can have very comedic outcomes, such
as in William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, or What You Will. Mistaken identities are
rampant through the play, as well as the heavily crafted deception created to make a fool
out of Malvolio. This play allows the audience to have fun, and offers a gentle caution
towards taking life too seriously.
I believe that this play is simply a celebration, allowing people to escape their
normal lives and live in a fantasy world, even for just a short time. However, through the
humiliation inflicted upon Malvolio, it also cautions us against becoming too serious and
not enjoying life. I feel that this would be an excellent play to present in an outdoor
theatre such as Thornden Park, particularly for college-aged students. Students often feel
stressed and overworked, and with all of those pressures added up, start taking things a
little too seriously. This play allows the audience to take a break from their lives and
watch a comedic story of things being turned on their heads.
The festival of Twelfth Night is central to developing the action of the play, and I
feel that this is something important to highlight in this production, especially as most
people in this country are unfamiliar with it. Twelfth Night, in some branches of
Christianity, marks the coming of the Epiphany and the end of the Twelve days of
Christmas. In Shakespeare’s time, this marked the end of a winter festival characterized
by the world (figuratively) turning on its head, when peasants and kings switched places.
Certainly, it was a great time for merrymaking, ruled by the Lord of Misrule, who
supervised the topsy-turvy celebration. The history of this celebration is very important
to Twelfth Night; people are not who they seem to be, and especially in the case of Sir
Toby and Sir Andrew, people revel in having fun and making fun as well. I feel that this
environment of merrymaking is important to translate to the audience; it will allow them
to let loose and enjoy themselves as well.
I would set this play in the atmosphere of Renaissance Italy, although the time
period would not be definite. Part of the ‘fantasy’ of this place is that it doesn’t take
place anywhere real; rather, it is in an environment that enables these disguises to work. I
would also work anachronisms into the setting to add to the affect of the play not being in
a ‘real’ place. This setting also allows the audience to escape from their own lives into
this alternate world of disguise and trickery.
As previously stated, I would place this production in an outdoor theatre, in
Thornden Park. This location does pose a couple of issues to the designer, which she
would have to focus on. An outdoor theatre lends itself towards more minimal sets.
However, the lack of natural masking makes the designer have to focus on how to hide
actors, props, and other materials. I would encourage my designer to look at smaller
pieces that will both set the scene and the world of the play, while not overwhelming the
natural ‘construction’ of the stage area.
In fitting in with the setting of the play, I would encourage my costume designer
to look at Renaissance inspirations for costumes, but not to strictly stick with the time
period. This is one particular area where I would strongly ask my designer to look at
adding anachronistic pieces to the costumes. It lends itself to the ambiguity of the
setting, and also makes it more relatable to the audience.
The sound design of this production ties together the ideas of relating the play to
the audience, and also making the play a fun experience that allows people to escape
from the daily stresses of life. For my sound design, I would mix traditional music of the
Renaissance with more contemporary pieces that highlight the emotional aspects of the
play, and also ones that accent the more humorous actions that occur.
Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare’s most famous, and most popular, comedies.
Its topics of mistaken identity, disguise, and general revelry are universal and are still
relevant today. A production of this play would allow the audience to escape from real
life for a little bit and sink into a fantasy world where very little is as it seems and
mischief is abound. In such a highly driven and stressed world, it is important to escape
and be reminded that life shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Where’s the fun in that?