Twelfth Night

by William Shakespeare

October 2008-November 2008

Tickets $20.00 General / $15.00 Discount tickets for Groups/ Students / Seniors

323-469-3113 for Reservations and further information

Viola is shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria during the opening scenes. She loses contact with her twin brother, Sebastian, whom she believes dead. Posing as a man and masquerading as a young page under the name Cesario, she enters the service of Duke Orsino. Orsino is in love with the bereaved Lady Olivia, whose brother has recently died, and decides to use "Cesario" as an intermediary. Olivia, believing Viola to be a man, falls in love with this handsome and eloquent messenger. Viola, in turn, has fallen in love with the Duke, who also believes Viola is a man, and who regards her as his confidant.

When Sebastian arrives on the scene, confusion ensues. Mistaking him for Viola, Olivia asks him to marry her, and they are secretly married by a priest. Finally, when the twins appear in the presence of both Olivia and the Duke, there is more wonder and awe at their similarity, at which point Viola reveals she is really a female and that Sebastian is her lost twin brother. The play ends in a declaration of marriage between the Duke and Viola, Toby and Maria, and Olivia and Sebastian, though their marriages are never actually seen.

Much of the play is taken up with the comic subplot, in which several characters conspire to make Olivia's pompous head steward, Malvolio, believe that his lady Olivia wishes to marry him. It involves Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby Belch; her would-be suitor, a silly squire named Sir Andrew Aguecheek; her servants Maria and Fabian; and her father's favorite fool, Feste. Sir Toby and Sir Andrew disturb the peace of their lady's house by keeping late hours and perpetually singing catches at the very top of their voices, prompting Malvolio to chastise them. This is the basis for Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Maria's revenge on Malvolio.

Maria, Sir Toby, Sir Andrew Aguecheek and company convince Malvolio that Olivia is secretly in love with him, and write a letter in Olivia's hand, asking Malvolio to wear yellow stockings cross-gartered, be rude to the rest of the servants, and to smile in all circumstances. Olivia, saddened by Viola's attitude to her, asks for her chief steward, and is shocked by a Malvolio who has seemingly lost his mind. She leaves him to the contrivances of his tormentors.

Pretending that Malvolio is insane, he is locked up in a room (a common "treatment" for the mentally ill), with a slit for light. Feste visits him to mock his "insanity", once disguised as the priest, and again as himself. At the end of the play Malvolio learns of their conspiracy and storms off promising revenge, but the Duke dispatches someone (probably Fabian) to pacify him.  

 

LOCATION: Front Entrance
Write Act Repertory Theatre
6128 Yucca Ave
(1 block off Gower & the 101 – just east of the historic Capitol Records building)
Hollywood, CA.  90028
 

PARKING/TRANSPORTATION: Back Entrance
Parking is available on-site at the St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church parking lot located one block below with an easy Write Act Rep entrance.  The free ample parking lot is located at Write Act Repertory Theatre  6125 Carlos Ave. Hollywood, CA. 90028

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