William Shakespeare’s star-crossed twins, mismatched lovers, and zany fools are as star-crossed, mismatched, and zany as ever this summer at Theatricum Botanicum, but this time round they burst into song in Ellen Geer’s enchanting Twelfth Night under Topanga skies.

Twelfth Night’s cast of young lovers includes the recently shipwrecked Viola (Willow Geer), who dons men’s garb to disguise herself as “Cesario” to secure employment as pageboy to Duke Orsino of Duke of Illyria (Max Lawrence), who’s in love with Olivia (Christine Breihan), who’s too busy mourning her brother’s death to give Orsino the time of day, which is why the handsome Duke sends “Cesario” to plead his case only to have Olivia fall for the dashing young woman-in-male-drag as meanwhile elsewhere in Illyria, Viola’s fraternal twin Sebastian (Cavin Mohrhardt) and his loyal hanger-on Antonio (Sean McConaghy) decide to check out what’s happening at Duke Orsino’s.

And because no Shakespeare romcom would be a Shakespeare romcom without its resident fool (or fools), Twelfth Night serves up not only court jester Feste (Time Winters) but also Olivia’s voluptuous servant Maria (Elizabeth Tobias), the drunk-and-disorderly Sir Toby Belch (Christopher W. Jones), and wacky, wiry Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Frank Weidner), who’s got his own crush going on Olivia.

Last but not least there’s Olivia’s equally lovestruck steward Malvolio. Sorry, make that stewardess, because in gender-bending Theatricum Botanicum tradition, it’s Theatricum treasure Melora Marshall who brings Malvolio to life. (Think Rebecca’s Mrs. Danvers as played by Marjorie Main, if you’re old enough to get the references.)

If this were any other Shakespearean romcom (As You Like It and Much Ado About Nothing come to mind), the aforementioned comic relief would play second fiddle to its romantic leads.

In Twelfth Night, however, it’s the other way around, which means a whole lot more slapstick shenanigans and a whole lot less romance, though you won’t hear any complaining when Sir Toby, Maria, and Andrew trick Malvolio into wearing yellow stockings tied with cross-garters, the better to win Olivia’s heart and let Marshall earn arguably the evening’s biggest laughs with stockinged yellow legs and frilly yellow panties thrust high up in the air.

In addition to the romantic mismatches, mistaken identities, wily servants, outlandish buffoons, and hilarious hi-jinx that are de rigueur in a Shakespearean romp, director Geer has virtually the entire cast raising their voices in song (lyrics by none other than The Bard) to original melodies that emerge seamlessly from composer/sound designer Marshall McDaniel’s magical musical underscoring.

Marshall’s Malvolio may end up the production’s biggest laugh-getter, but Jones, Tobias, Weidner, and Winters come pretty darned close, with Weidner earning extra chuckles for his original “choreography” and for engaging with Geer’s “Cesario” in the most outrageously funny “swordplay” ever.

Breihan, Geer, Lawrence, and Morhardt are as appealing as young Shakespearean lovers get, so much so that it’s rather a shame they don’t get as much stage time as they’d normally be afforded.

McConaghy, Harrison Poe (Curio), Dante Ryan (Valentine), and Lawrence Sonderling (Sea Captain) merit their own cheers as do Garrett Botts, Jacob Louis, Moriah McAda-Salvia, Julia Stier, Anna Telfer, and Laura Wineland in their cameos.

Amy Mazzaferro’s Regency costumes would do Jane Austen proud, Leah Haynor’s properties range from swords to tree branches to a heart-shaped billet doux, and Zachary Moore’s lighting design is so lovely, it’s a pity not everyone will get to see Twelfth Night after dark. (Production stills have obviously been taken in the bright light of day.)

Sydney Russell is assistant director. Elna Kordjian is stage manager and Connie Ayala is assistant stage manager.

It wouldn’t be summer theater in L.A. without at least one evening (or afternoon) spent at Theatricum Botanicum, and this reviewer for one will be heading back for a whopping four more. In the meantime, Theatricum’s 2019 season opener proves as delightful and tuneful a Twelfth Night as any Shakespeare lover could possibly wish for.

The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga.
www.theatricum.com

–Steven Stanley
August 2, 2019
Photos: Ian Flanders

Tags: Los Angeles Theater Review, Theatricum Botanicum, William Shakespeare