About the Play
The setting of "Twelfth Night" is Illyria: another time and
another place. Orsino, a count, is in love with Olivia, a countess, who is
mourning the death of her brother, and is not inclined to receive any
suitors. As the play begins, a storm has just wrecked a ship on which the
twins Sebastian and Viola were passengers. As Orsino learns of Olivia's
lack of interest in his protestations of love, Viola finds herself on a
seashore in this strange land, accompanied by the ship's captain. Learning
from him about Orsino and Olivia, and fearing that Sebastian has
drowned, she resolves to disguise herself as a man and seek a position at
Orsino's court.
Meanwhile, Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby Belch, has brought his friend Sir
Andrew Aguecheek to Olivia's house as a potential suitor. However, as her
chambermaid Maria warns Toby, their penchant for carousing is unlikely to
impress the countess. It certainly does not impress Malvolio, Olivia's
puritanical steward, who has a low opinion of most people. Malvolio's
killjoy attitude is evidenced by his disdain for Feste, Olivia's fool, who
has found it difficult of late to raise a smile in the funereal atmosphere of
Olivia's house, and has taken to dropping in at Orsino's.
It is there that we find Viola, disguised as a man and having
assumed the name Cesario, who has clearly made an impression on the count.
Orsino hopes' that Cesario will be an effective medium by which to
communicate his missives of love. Unfortunately, she proves too effective,
and Olivia is woken from her mournful frigidity by the charm and beauty of
Cesario.
Back on the edge of town, we learn that Sebastian is alive and well,
and about to leave man who rescued him, Antonio, and go to Orsino's court.
Although Antonio is a former enemy of Orsino's, he has developed such a
bond of friendship with Sebastian that he decides to follow him into the
town.
As might be expected, the combination of all these personalities yields
much conflict, confusion, and surprise. Malvolio's impatience with Toby,
Andrew, Maria, and Feste, as well as a previous altercation with Fabian
(another member of Olivia's household) causes them to exact their revenge
by deceiving the steward into believing Olivia is in love with him. Al the
same time, Andrew is put out that Olivia, who grows increasingly enamored
of Cesario, shows more attention to the count's servant than to him, and
thus decides to challenge Cesario to a duel. Meanwhile, Sebastian and
Antonio are wandering the town separately, and the inevitable instances of
mistaken identity lead to Antonio's arrest and Olivia's fulfillment of her
passion for Cesario (albeit vicariously). She therefore has no time to
think of Malvolio, who has been locked away as a lunatic by Sir Toby on
account of the steward's unwonted amorous attentions to Olivia. Finally,
Orsino discovers that Olivia has married the man they all think is Cesario,
and the count is naturally not very pleased. Only when Sebastian and Viola
finally encounter each other does the situation become resolved to the
satisfaction of the count, the countess and the twins. As for the others:
"...it's all one."
ESP Productions are partially supported by a grant from the Virginia
Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
