Globe on Screen’s 2012 Twelfth Night: Practically time travel

In a world where people are constantly trying to “update” Shakespeare to the modern times, a truly authentic production like the Globe’s 2012 Twelfth Night is a breath of fresh air. This production has to be the truest to original Shakespearean play that I have ever seen. Of course, being presented in the Globe itself lends to the authenticity, but it also had a live band, costumes done in original practice, and (true to Shakespearean tradition) ALL of the actors were male! That is right, all the female roles were played by male actors.

Let me begin with the set. There are no massive backdrops or props to move around (original Shakespearean plays were often bereft of set dressings). They make judicious use of benches, tables, and shrubberies in order to give a visual shorthand to the different locations throughout the play. Unlike the Globe’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, however, there is no changing of lights. During that production, the set never changed at all. They had some tables placed about that served as any manner of objects, but they did not bring out props to help clue the audience in. They used colored lights (and sometimes bolts of fabric dropped from the ceiling). In Twelfth Night, the lightning never changes. Back in Shakespeare’s time, plays were performed during the day in order to have the maximum amount of sunlight shine upon the stage. I can only assume this is why there is not lighting design in this production. And because to that, props and small set pieces are needed to lend context to the scenes.

Moving on to the actors, they did a phenomenal job! When I first saw Malvolio, I shouted aloud “Is that Stephen Fry? That’s Stephen Fry!” Needless to say I thought he did a remarkable job (that man is such a talented actor). As much as I love him, I have to say that Olivia (played by Mark Rylance) stole the show. He was able to make this austere character seem very human, and hilarious. The facepalm moment of “What is your parentage?” will never not be funny. Peter Dyer as Feste ties with Stephen Fry for second best in my opinion. The Malvolio versus staff and Feste subplot is a very important one, so it only makes sense that the pivotal actors in the story line be superb. Although, as funny as Feste was, I have to say that what impressed me the most was his signing. Twelfth Night is a very musical play, and Feste’s singing soliloquies paired with the live orchestra provided some great serious and moving overtones to the performance (Feste’s song while Orsino and Cesario sit together springs to mind, as well as the final song that preludes the ending bows/ dance).

All this aside, there is one aspect to this production that impressed me more than any other. I have actually heard of this specific production before. There is a dress historian named Bernadette Banner who discussed this very play, because the designer, Jenny Tiramani (who is also a dress historian), made all of the clothes in original practice methods. Every bit of every costume was made using historical patterns and drafting techniques that were available at or before the time that Shakespeare wrote Twelfth Night, meaning that all of the designs could have conceivably been worn in the very first showing of it, all the way back in the early 1600s. All of the costumes were made out of natural fiber materials that would have existed back then (no polyesters or synthetic dyes). In fact, the silk velvet dress that Olivia wears was HAND WOVEN! All of the costumes were hand sewn (seeing as how sewing machines were not a thing back in 1602), and they were also sewn using historical sewing methods! All the ruffs were starched and set every night, and even tiny things like button construction and materials were historically accurate. Truly, effort was put in by Tiramani, and it paid off.

The sad thing is that this achingly authentic production will probably not excite a modern audience as much as a reimagined version. So many people nowadays want to see “exciting new spins” or “more modern adaptations that aren’t confusing”. It is a shame that the monumental amount of energy and research that went into this production may serve only to make it seem… like a Shakespeare play. A general audience may remember a strange production (like the modern 80s rock thing that was A Midsummer Night’s Dream) more vividly than this one. But, to the audience who can appreciate and can recognize true passion and scholarship, the 2012 production of Twelfth Night will be a wonderful model for, not only how Shakespeare used to be done, but, the way that a purist will believe it should be done.