Review: Twelfth Night, The Players Theatre, Nantwich

Twelfth Night The Players Theatre, Nantwich

FRIDAY night saw a theatre packed full, ready for the first night of Nantwich Players' production of Twelfth Night.

BIG LAUGHS: The Nantwich Players in Twelfth Night, from left, Nigel Vernon, as Malvolio, Simon Porter, as Sir Toby Belch, Tom Brookes, as Fabian, Charlie Gobbett, as Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Clare Hoy, as Maria.

As soon as they walked in the audience was transported to the country of Illyria, complete with a court Fool (Richard Ellis). When everyone had found their seats there was a sudden hush, and the Fool began with a short song.

Director Gordon Hamlin does not believe that Shakespeare is as inaccessible as people think, and he and the Players proved this right with a funny, engaging performance.

There was so much life and energy given to the words that it was hard to believe they were using language that hasn't been spoken for centuries.

The drunken Sir Toby Belch (Simon Porter) and Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Charlie Gobbett) created a hilarious double act that kept the audience laughing from start to finish.

But the biggest laugh was undoubtedly earned by Malvolio (Nigel Vernon).

There is something very funny about supposedly great characters making a fool of themselves, and Malvolio manages this many times over.

Twelfth Night has everything; love triangles, jealousy, false identities, the odd sword fight and, of course, comedy.

And the Players brought this comedy to the performance with more than just the great words of Shakespeare.

Some facial expressions alone had the audience laughing out loud, and the interaction between the characters was brilliant. Particularly notable was a punch thrown by Sir Aguecheek at Sebastian (Philip Jackson).

It missed by a mile, but that just made it funnier. There were some moments when the actors seemed to have trouble remembering their lines, but that can be put down to first night nerves.

They always recovered quickly and it did not interrupt the fast pace of the action.

This is a fantastic performance of a play where "everyone is slightly mad or abnormal and nothing or no-one is what they seem". If you thought Shakespeare was boring, see the show and think again.

Twelfth Night is on at The Players' Theatre, Nantwich, at 7.30pm until February 27. Contact 01270 537359.

Hannah Thorley