Shakespeare's Twelfth Night at Nantwich

Twelfth Night

An award-winning guest director takes the helm for a new production of the Bard's comedy of cross-dressing, deception and romance, writes Alan Cookman

In the foreground is Nigel Vernon, who plays Malvolio. From the left at the back, Simon Porter as Sir Toby Belch, Tom Brookes as Fabian, Charlie Gobbett as Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Clare Hoy as Maria. Left, Katy Hooper as Viola and Richard Ellis playing Feste. Pictures: Clare Jennings

NANTWICH Players have engaged a director with an impressive track record for their production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

Gordon Hamlin, who is best known for his work with the Harlequin Players in Northwich, has directed award-winning productions of Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant Of Venice and Henry V.

In fact he has directed nearly 60 plays over the last 20 years, from Educating Rita and Tom Jones to Twelfth Night itself.

Although he hesitates to call himself a Shakespeare scholar, Gordon does have a deep love for and understanding of the Bard's work.

"I love the way the plays work," he says. "I love the way his heightened English language works. I love the timelessness of his themes – love, hate, government, jealousy, corruption etc."

He rejects the notion that Shakespeare is inaccessible.

He says: "Shakespeare is seen as elitist, unreachable, but his themes of love, hate, jealousy and betrayal endure to this day.

"The language is rich, the richest in the English tongue in my view. Played in an interesting style and an eye to helping the audience with the 'words,' a Shakespeare play is a tremendously rewarding experience."

Gordon says he hopes to bring a lightness of touch to the Players' production of Twelfth Night, one of Shakepeare's greatest comedies.

He says: "Shakespeare can so often get bogged down in words and scenes which the audience don't understand. Twelfth Night isn't easy to thin out since it contains five main stories which exist in splendid parallel till the end, so it's essential to keep it buoyantly bowling along."

The Players' will be presenting Twelfth Night, Shakespeare's comedy of young people behaving foolishly, older people behaving badly, identical twins and unrequited love, in period costume.

The cast includes Katy Hooper (Viola), Philip Jackson (Sebastian), Neil Hodges (Orsino), Lucy Cruddas (Olivia), Nigel Vernon (Malvolio), Simon Porter (Sir Toby Belch), Charlie Gobbett (Sir Andrew Aguecheek) and Clare Hoy (Maria).

Twelfth Night is at The Players Theatre, Nantwich, from February 19 to 27 at 7.30pm. Tel 01270 537359