Bell Shakespeare will appear at Griffith Regional Theatre on Saturday 12 August 2023 to perform a fresh retelling of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy Twelfth Night.
To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the play’s publication in 1623 as part of Shakespeare’s First Folio, this new production of Twelfth Night offers a dark collision of hidden identities and unrequited love which asks audiences to find light in the dark. The production will feature original music from Aria Award winner Sarah Blasko and stars film, television and theatre actor, Alfie Gledhill in the lead role of Viola and Jane Montgomery Griffiths as Malvolia.
Director Heather Fairbairn, who has worked internationally with companies including the Royal Opera House and the Royal Court Theatre in London, said “I’m fascinated by the enigmatic nature of Twelfth Night, which transcends time and place. In this production, there is no specified setting which, coupled with the haunting nature of Sarah Blasko’s music, lends an otherworldly feel to the play.
“I’m delighted to be working with such a stellar cast of actors, who each bring something unique to their role. The production will subvert standard casting approaches in regards to gender, with the character of Malvolio transformed to Malvolia, played by the wonderful Jane Montgomery Griffiths, and the lead female role of Viola played by Alfie Gledhill; the result will offer a timely exploration of the fluidity of gender and sexuality.”
Twelfth Night tells the story of the aristocratic Viola, who finds herself washed up in a strange new land and, determined to survive, disguises herself as a man to secure a position in the household of Duke Orsino, where passion, intrigue and mistaken identity ensue.
