Actors Co-op gives L.A.’s top-of-the-line classical theater companies some stiff competition with their irresistibly entertaining, tunefully tropical take on Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare’s timeless tale of star-crossed twins, mismatched lovers, and zany fools.

Setting things in motion is the recently shipwrecked Viola (Mary Leeholland), who dons men’s garb to disguise herself as “Cesario” in order to secure employment as pageboy to Duke Orsino of Duke of Illyria (Antwon Mason, Jr.), who’s in love with Olivia (Jessica Woehler), 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 (understudy FREEDOM) and his loyal hanger-on Antonio (Ben Kientz) 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 (Chloe Babbes) but also Olivia’s loyal but conniving servant Maria (Britny Horton), the drunk-and-disorderly Sir Toby Belch (Isaac W. Jay), the flamboyant Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Howard Leder), who’s got his own crush going on Olivia, and Olivia’s lovestruck steward, the easily hoodwinked Malvolio (William Viriato).

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 not quite so much 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.

All of this comes vividly to life on the Actors Co-op stage from the moment a full-cast song-and-dance prelude transports us instantly from Hollywood to an island located “somewhere between Tahitia and Bora Bora” and signals from the get-go that there won’t be anything cookie-cutter about this Twelfth Night.

Not only does Actors Co-op’s sole Spring Season offering (down from the company’s customary three productions) provide plenty of opportunities for debuting director Michael T. Kachingwe to delight audiences with his refreshingly original take on a 422-year-old classic, it introduces Co-op regulars to a slew of new Millennial and Gen Z members in what may well be the most racially diverse cast I’ve seen in decades of attending Co-op productions.

Mason’s and FREEDOM’s charismatic takes on Orsino and Sebastian give Leeholland (perky, plucky perfection as Viola/Caesario) and Woehler (a deliciously daffy screwball delight as Olivia) plenty to fuss over and fret about.

Gavin Michael Harris, Ben Kientz, and Nneka provide topnotch support in featured roles and cameos. (Special snaps to Harris for his guitar strumming and vocals.)

Still, as I mentioned before, it’s Twelfth Night’s “comic relief” who not only get the biggest and meatiest roles, they steal the show more times than I could possibly count.

Babbes makes for a fabulously feisty Feste, Horton is a memorably meddling treat as Maria, and the triply sensational Jay, Leder, and Shewey give Hollywood’s Three Stooges some stiff competition in the comedic laugh-getter department.

Most memorable of all is Viriato’s wonderfully weird, wild, and wacky take on Malvolio, and that’s even before the Brazil-to-Hollywood transplant shows off those yellow cross-gartered knee-high stockings in pose after pose, each more outrageous than the one before.

You can almost feel the island breezes wafting across scenic designer Hanalei Vasquez’s revolving indoor-outdoor set (constructed by Tim Farmer and Chris Winfield), a tropical motif enhanced by costume designer Kelly Tsan’s colorful South Pacific wear. Jesse Rodriguez’s vibrant lighting design, and Shelia Dorn’s makeup and wigs (especially Sir Andrew’s movable, removable pageboy).

Sound designer Thulani Kachingwe’s catchy original music sets Shakespeare verse to a calypso beat just right for Royce Correa’s infectious choreography.

Twelfth Night is produced by Lorinda Hawkins Smith. Crystal Jackson is production manager. Kassy Menke is stage manager and Emmett Lee Merrit is assistant stage manager. Victor H. Rodriguez resumes playing Sebastian in May.

Romantic mismatches, mistaken identities, wily servants, outlandish buffoons, and hilarious hijinks galore. Actors Co-op’s Twelfth Night has them in such abundance, even Shakespeare naysayers will be smitten.

Actors Co-op, 1760 N. Gower St., Hollywood. Through May 12. Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30. Sundays at 2:30. Also Saturday May 4 2:30.
www.actorsco-op.org

–Steven Stanley
April 19 2024
Photos: Zak Shelby-Szyszko

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Tags: Actors Co-op, Los Angeles Theater Review, William Shakespeare