Pigs Eye Theatre - Twelfth Night: 'Twelfth Night' is amusing, hesitant

Twelfth Night By William Shakespeare	Directed by Matt Sciple
January 17 - February 1, 2003 at Cedar Riverside People's Center

'Twelfth Night' is amusing, hesitant

by Carolyn Petrie
Special To St. Paul Pioneer Press

January 21st, 2003

On opening night of Pigs Eye Theatre's production of "Twelfth Night," a petulant young audience member made her suffering visible in the front row, rolling her eyes and heaving dramatic sighs of exasperation throughout the show.

Meanwhile, two rows directly behind her, a jolly young man laughed so heartily at every tiny sliver of humor onstage as to appear totally inappropriate. Or maybe he was drunk.

In spite of those scene-stealers, the rest of the audience appeared to enjoy the production as a pleasant-enough evening of theater. But for me, that pair of audience members form an apt metaphor for the intense pressure a small theater company must feel when producing a play like "Twelfth Night." Shakespeare's work can move you and shake you and be the most excellent you've ever seen. Then again, it can stink up the joint.

Rarely does a Shakespearean production fall into the gray area between soaring and sinking, but director Matt Sciple's staging of this freewheeling romantic comedy manages to do just that.

Crisply envisioned, unevenly acted and nicely designed by scenic artist Robyn McIntyre and costumer Tina Frederickson, the show is amusing but hesitant. It falls short of brilliance but provides a fair insight into this wonderful script's sense of silliness and fun.

In spite of the intimidation factor of the script's Olde English (for both performer and listener), "Twelfth Night" still stands as a frothy little meringue. The subject matter couldn't be lighter: A group of unrequited lovers finally find their perfect mates, with a few silly disguises, drunken debaucheries and devilish pranks thrown in for good measure.

Sciple's modern production tosses in some contemporary fun. The count Orsino, played with solid machismo by John Trones, whiles away the hours playing on a virtual reality machine and woos Olivia with gifts from the Gap. The countess Olivia, whom Andrea Wollenberg brings to life in a vivid, wonderfully well-rounded performance, is never without her cell phone and her dark shades. Wollenberg is a standout. She alone creates a believably contemporary character without ever missing a beat of challenging dialogue.

Ultimately, Sciple's production hits the right tone often enough to please people like the jolly young man on opening night, people who love Shakespeare, or people who want people to think they love Shakespeare, or anyone willing to enjoy the show for what it's worth. Then again, maybe Miss Pouty had a point. As the Bard himself wrote in this script, "it's too hard a knot for me to untie." See it yourself and make the call.

Host: x10