Twelfth Night is presented by Actors Co-Op. Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Michael T. Kachingwe. Produced by Lorinda Hawkins Smith.
This production transfers the story from the Balkans to the South Pacific. It is also set in a recent past. This departure from the original setting gives the story a fresh look at Shakespeare’s themes of romance and European affairs. As expected, the costumes and the music reflect the change of place and culture.
The new setting allows Director Michael T. Kachingwe to give the characters in this production a historical context in relation to the location where the story takes place. The characters of Antonio and Sea Captain (Ben Kientz) have the look of pirates, outcasts that navigated the islands of the South Pacific in the past. Duke Orsino (Antwon Mason Jr.) and Maria (Britny Horton) have the looks of natives from the islands. Viola/Cesario (Mary Leeholland), on the other hand, has a European look, a hint to the European influence on those lands. This staging, however, does not seem to be a political statement on the history of the islands. After all, Twelfth Night is mainly a story with romance and comedy at the center, and Kachingwe keeps it that way. As for the sexual fluidity implied in the play, Kachingwe expresses this concept not only in the characters of Viola and Cesario but also in Feste, a male character played by a female actress, Chloe Babbes.
Talking about Babbes, her comedic and musical talents are engaging and add a playful and mischievous tone to the play. Along with Babbes, William Viriato is the other actor with a sensational sense of comedy. He does a fantastic personification of Malvolio, triggering the loudest laughs with his inventiveness and physical comedy, connecting with the audience immediately.
One thing to point out is that in the original script, Viola and Sebastian (Victor H. Rodriguez) are twins and look alike. In this production, however, Leeholland and Rodriguez do not necessarily look alike. This could be intentional, as this version of the play is modern rather than classical. This could or could not be noticed by the audience, depending on their familiarity with Twelfth Night.
This version highlights the comedy and musicality of the play. Except for the text, the costumes, setting, and music, give this staging a contemporaneous feel to Shakespeare’s story. This production feels closer to Antaeus‘ production of The Tempest, a version that also highlighted the musical aspect of the play.
Kachingwe’s production is a valuable rendition of a classical story with a twist more attuned to our times. It also serves as an opportunity to showcase a diverse group of talent that refreshes the theatre scene. At the same time, the major themes of the script are kept. intact. The love, the loyalty, the melancholy, and mainly the comedy are at the heart of this performance. Co-Op‘s offers another excellent play to explore new possibilities using one of the best comedies written by William Shakespeare.
Twelfth Night
Actors Co-Op’s David Schall Theatre
1760 N. Gower Street, Hollywood 90028
On the campus of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood
April 5 – May 12, 2024
Friday and Saturday Evenings at 7:30 pm
Sunday Matinees at 2:30 pm
Additional Saturday Matinees April 13th & May 4th at 2:30 pm
Tickets: actorsco-op.org
Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Michael T. Kachingwe. Produced by Lorinda Hawkins Smith.
Cast: Chloe Babbes, Freedom (U/S), Gavin Michael Harris, Britny Horton, Isaac W. Jay, Ben Kientz, Howard Leder, Mary Leeholland, Antwon Mason Jr., Nneka, Victor H. Rodriguez, Kevin Shewey, William Viriato, and Jessica Woehler.
Creative team: Scenic designer Hanalei Vasquez, costume designer Kelly Tsan, lighting designer Jesse Rodriguez, sound designer Thulani Kachingwe, hair and makeup designer Shelia Dorn, stage manager Kassy Menke, assistant stage manager Emmett Lee Merritt, choreographer Royce Correa, and set construction by Chris Winfield.
