Review
by Paul Nelson
Probably the best and clearest production of Shakespeare's
best loved play, and certainly my favourite of his comedies,
is to be seen presented by the excellent Logos
Theatre Company at the
Studio Theatre in Wimbledon Broadway... The
'fire and ice' of director Melissa Holston's
hand makes the evening something to remember, as always. I
think I can report nothing more favourable than reporting that
a smalll child (obviously under ten) clearly with not a lot of
prior knowledge, sat rapt with attention and rocked with laughter
at the funnier moments. What
we think of as possibly archaic language crosses barriers that
we (certainly I) thought were impassable. I couldn't have
been more delighted. The production boasts the best Malvolio I
have seen. The measured tread of Philip
Mansfield, his
occasional lapses into dropping his aitches and revealing a working
class origin, not instantly apparent, and not overused, is a
brilliant touch. I for one found it not only startlingly
funny, but a telling pointer toward the character. It is
the first revelation of the evening. The second is that
Kenneth McClellan, founder of Logos and
here playing the jester
Feste, produces the clearest delineation
of the character that anyone could wish. He has a true
singing voice, and I hope that the tunes he sang... are the ones
handed down since the Bard himself was alive... There is
a moving Olivia (Victoria
Walker), a splendid Antonio (Petros
Emanuel), a killingly funny
cameo of the priest who marries Sebastian and Olivia (Mark
Wyman)
and a bold attempt at Toby Belch by Bryan
Pilkington, who looks
far too young for the part. The cast make amusing asides
to the audience constantly throughout the play, which makes for
a cosy evening and the feeling that the entire thing is being
performed for you only. There are some absolutely brilliant
directorial touches which caught me off balance and made me laugh
outright. Indeed, I haven't laughed quite so much at a
production of this very familiar play for some years.
Wimbledon
News
27th April 2001
Lucy Orson
Logos Theatre Company have brought one of Shakespeare's greatest
comedies, Twelfth Night, to the theatre just as it should be:
full of merriment, excitement, madness, confusion, extravagance
and of course, ultimately, happy resolution. The company
has been performing for 12 years and prides itself on providing
high quality refreshing performances whilst remaining faithful
to the author's original intentions - there is no doubt that
the Bard himself would find this piece a triumph. Logos have pieced together a sumptuous yet intimate performance that
works in harmony with the Wimbledon Studio
Theatre... The sub-plot
revolves around Olivia's steward, Malvolio, played so brilliantly
by the Alan Rickman-esque Philip
Mansfield... Kenneth McClellan gives another notable performance, playing alongside a young
and promising cast in his 90th Shakespeare part as the fool. This
is a wonderfully accessible production that will leave you dying
with laughter!
Another review
Origin unknown
Logos' faultless production will
make you feel that you are watching the play exactly as Shakespeare himself
would have intended you to enjoy it. This fresh, crystal-clear
interpretation is worthy of any West End stage, yet a bigger
auditorium than the compact Wimbledon
Studio could lose the wonderful intimacy
that the players bring about through eye contact and subtle interaction
with the audience. The cast wants to entertain you and
this is accomplished - through every facial expression, gesture
and speech delivery - with flying colours. All the cast
members without exception, whether in principal or supporting
roles (and some play both), perform confidently and convincingly. Lisa
May shines as Viola/Cesario in
a beautifully expressive performance, while Victoria
Walker is perfect as the fair Countess
Olivia. Philip
Mansfield seems born to play the role of Malvolio,
the snooty, puritanical steward of Olivia's
household who just can't help but make himself unpopular. His
forced change in behaviour, following ridiculous instructions
when he is tricked into believing that his wealthy mistress is
in love with him, is hilariously portrayed. Equally entertaining
are the bawdy, drunken revellers
Sir Toby Belch and Sir
Andrew Aguecheek, brilliantly performed
by Bryan Pilkington and Daniel
Wexler. Kenneth McClellan makes
a great Feste, the witty fool. Top
marks to director
Melissa Holston for creating the
feel of 16th-century theatre, aided by a simple but effective
set, good light management, rich, traditional costumes, and original
music accompaniment. If
you want to experience Shakespeare at
its best, don't miss this magical production at the Wimbledon
Studio. |
