Mariam-Twelfth Night ⭐⭐⭐ .5

It was the last night of my holidays, the very twelfth night for which this play was named. I was in the mood for a last bit of celebration and this play was it. 

And for that purpose it worked great. 

The style and setting was much the same as Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night's Dream, all filmed in the 90's, with that very warm lighting and heavy on the flora. Vines climbing buildings, vast gardens, very similar architecture, and bikes. Actually, somehow I had convinced myself that all three of these films were made by the same person, but in fact, each one is directed by someone different. 

The plot is that a twin brother and sister believe they have each lost each other in a ship sinking. The sister dresses up as a man to become the manservant of a local duke. She falls in love with him but he enlists her to court a local lady named Olivia. Olivia swears she'll mourn her recently dead brother for seven years. (I never figured out if this was real or she was just trying to get rid of the duke.) Sister-dressed-as-man tries to convince Olivia to marry the duke. Olivia falls in love with sister-dressed-as-man. Hijinks ensue. Fortunately brother turns up and marries Olivia and duke marries sister and all is well. 

Helena Bonham Carter was Olivia and I just can't get into her being a fragile female protagonist. I first saw her as Bellatrix Lestrange and I'll always get slightly creepy, slightly insane vibes from her. I do think she leans into a little batty in all her roles.

The funniest part was when brother and sister-dressed-as-man finally appear together and for a second, before it is explained, Olivia thinks she's looking at two men that look like the one she loves.

She gasps, "Most wonderful!" I cracked up.

There was a side plot in which various staff of Olivia's estate and her uncle were involved in various ploys. One ploy was that the uncle was pumping a rich guy, Sir Andrew for money while convincing him that Olivia would marry him. Sure, he was an unattractive character, but he was actually quite hurt at the end and it was awful. 

Another ploy was that they decided to gang up on one old manservant, Malvolio because he was stuffy and pompous and asked them not to cause a ruckus all night. They trick him into thinking Olivia is in love with him and when he pursues Olivia, he is made to look ridiculous and thoughtless Olivia has him thrown into a cell for being insane.

Neither of these people are given so much as an apology in the end and I think it was supposed to be funny but it was mean. 

Finally, there was Feste the Fool who was played by Ben Kingsley. He played the role a little too dark and Missy and I have been talking after the Hollow Crown Falstaff fiasco and now this Feste, the perils of believing that darkness gives depth/seriousness to a role. Everyone wants to be that serious actor who does Shakespeare. But I think Shakespeare did really well making good points in jest and that is lost when you get too caught up in making Shakespeare proud of you. 

But! All I need is 90s foliage climbing up old stone buildings and warm, warm colors and I feel cozy and happy. 

I agree with Missy that this is not a strong play. But it whiled the evening away pleasantly and that's all one really wants from a celebratory entertainment piece. 

We're going for another comedy next. As You Like It. More women dressed as men and romantic hijinks. Shakespeare had a limited number of tricks in his bag but oh, did he use the heck out of him. Respect.