[events] Twelfth Night, by Pig Iron Theatre Co. at Swarthmore College, Sat. March 1, 2014
Last night F and I went to a performance of Twelfth Night by Pig Iron Theatre Co. at Swarthmore College's Lang Performing Arts Center. This production has been selling out in both NYC and Philadelphia, but several of Pig Iron's founding members are Swarthmore graduates, so they brought the production to Swarthmore and tickets were free. It was a fantastic show.
With the play's setting in Illyria, the company decided to use Balkan-inspired music. A gypsy band threaded their way throughout the play with violin, bass, accordion, trumpet, trombone, sousaphone, and drums. They were an integral part of the play and the music really set the tone. I need to look up Rosie Langabeer, who played the accordion and composed all the music.
I think often Feste (the Fool) is the character who steals the show when this play is done. However, in this case, it was Sir Toby, played by James Sugg, who infused the role with such a wonderful sense of cheery drunkenness. Sir Toby came across as the kind of constant drunk who is nevertheless a good-humored host and fun guy to be around. We first see Sir Toby in a loosely tied bathrobe and cowboy boots and he just got better from there. The level of physicality Sugg put into the part was amazing. He riveted my attention every time he was on stage. If I ever see this play again, I know no future actor will be able to stand up to my memory of Sugg in the role.
I also liked the way they handled casting and costuming for Viola and Sebastian. Early on, as she's dressing to go out as a man, a door opens and Sebastian, in the same outfit, acts as her mirror. It's clear that she's modeling her look and behavior on her lost brother. Subtle and really nicely done.
Some of my favorite things in this production were things Shakespeare never wrote: the gypsy band, Sir Toby's wedding scene with Maria (which was unexpected, wild and hilarious). I've never seen Shakespeare done so raucously, and I love that Pig Iron was so willing to be crazy and loose and just have fun with the play.
The other awesome part about last night was - F and I went out. Just us. It was the anniversary of our first kiss - seven years. We had a nice dinner out, and then we went to a play! My mom hung out with Freyfrey and they had fun together, and I didn't even have to feel guilty about the free babysitting because I helped my mom with an MS Word project this morning. We went out on a date!! I didn't realize how desperately I needed to go out on a date until we did. It was lovely. The dinner and the play were nice enough, but underneath it all was the knowledge that no one near me was screaming or throwing food or falling down or escaping, and if anyone near me did start doing anything like that, I would not be in any way responsible for controlling it. We've decided that our new goal will be a date night at least every other month. We had our hotel night date between Christmas and New Year's, and last night was March 1, so we're roughly on track. Late April/early May, I'm looking at you.
With the play's setting in Illyria, the company decided to use Balkan-inspired music. A gypsy band threaded their way throughout the play with violin, bass, accordion, trumpet, trombone, sousaphone, and drums. They were an integral part of the play and the music really set the tone. I need to look up Rosie Langabeer, who played the accordion and composed all the music.
I think often Feste (the Fool) is the character who steals the show when this play is done. However, in this case, it was Sir Toby, played by James Sugg, who infused the role with such a wonderful sense of cheery drunkenness. Sir Toby came across as the kind of constant drunk who is nevertheless a good-humored host and fun guy to be around. We first see Sir Toby in a loosely tied bathrobe and cowboy boots and he just got better from there. The level of physicality Sugg put into the part was amazing. He riveted my attention every time he was on stage. If I ever see this play again, I know no future actor will be able to stand up to my memory of Sugg in the role.
I also liked the way they handled casting and costuming for Viola and Sebastian. Early on, as she's dressing to go out as a man, a door opens and Sebastian, in the same outfit, acts as her mirror. It's clear that she's modeling her look and behavior on her lost brother. Subtle and really nicely done.
Some of my favorite things in this production were things Shakespeare never wrote: the gypsy band, Sir Toby's wedding scene with Maria (which was unexpected, wild and hilarious). I've never seen Shakespeare done so raucously, and I love that Pig Iron was so willing to be crazy and loose and just have fun with the play.
The other awesome part about last night was - F and I went out. Just us. It was the anniversary of our first kiss - seven years. We had a nice dinner out, and then we went to a play! My mom hung out with Freyfrey and they had fun together, and I didn't even have to feel guilty about the free babysitting because I helped my mom with an MS Word project this morning. We went out on a date!! I didn't realize how desperately I needed to go out on a date until we did. It was lovely. The dinner and the play were nice enough, but underneath it all was the knowledge that no one near me was screaming or throwing food or falling down or escaping, and if anyone near me did start doing anything like that, I would not be in any way responsible for controlling it. We've decided that our new goal will be a date night at least every other month. We had our hotel night date between Christmas and New Year's, and last night was March 1, so we're roughly on track. Late April/early May, I'm looking at you.