Twelfth night quotes by william shakespearepage 2 of 6. Theres something verboten in illyria the new york times. The twelfth night was originally written to be performed as a special christmas play, although its publication had to wait until 1623, when shakespeares first compilation of plays was published under the name of the first folio. Through the lens of trevor nunns 1996 film and the 2012 globe production of twelfth night which we discuss in ep. Famed british stage director trevor nunn better recognized for cats perhaps than his twenty years with the royal shakespeare company would tackle twelfth night in 1996, shifting the setting of the plot from 1600 to 1800, taking advantage of the cornish countryside, and, more interestingly, adapting a very faithful interpretation of the play. Feste ben kingsley in twelfth night,a directed by trevor nunn. Nunns version shows him to be a deft theatrical juggler, whose gift is to toss up a dozen major roles among plots, subplots, and plots. Trevor nunn, a former artistic director of the royal shakespeare company, begins twelfth night modernized to the late victorian era with a nontextual prologue, showing viola and sebastian as a sisterbrother vaudeville team providing campy entertainment aboard ship. Christensen sebastian madame tusk antonio, a sea captain, friend to sebastian alan davis drake a sea captain kara.
Shakespeares comic, romantic tale of loss and love, disguise and gender takes on haunting, autumnal tones. Determined to survive on her own, she steps out to explore a ne. The film adaptation of twelfth night is a light hearted comedy of love, exuberance, drunkenness, deception and mistaken identity. Updated to the victorian late nineteenthcentury and filled with colorful cornwall landscapes, trevor nunn imbues this surprisingly cinematic twelfth night with a sense of adventure as well as a pervasive melancholy.
An excellent cast features ben kingsley, helena bonham carter, and nigel hawthorne. Set in the 18th century, this is a very british version of shakespeares romantic comedy. In the second, nunns film receives a very thorough specific analysis. Grant, nicholas farrell, nigel hawthorne, ben kingsley, stephen. It is always helpful to have a written text visually mapped for the reader, especially one that is meant to be illuminated. Filmed on the coast of cornwall it stars helen bonham carter, richard e. Then you are mad indeed, if you be no better in you wits than a fool. About every decade, accomplished british theater director trevor nunn takes a break from the stage for a foray into filmmaking, and twelfth night is his project for the 1990s. Trevor nunns new film version of twelfth night, a lighthearted comedy of romance and gender confusion, creates a romantic triangle out of the same sorts of mistaken sexual identities that inspired some like it hot. Contemporary film and classic british theatre there is an interesting discussion of gender images and behaviors in the first of these articles.
The disguised viola soon discovers that olivia isnt in love with orsino, shes in love with viola in disguise. Set in the late 19th century, it was filmed on location in cornwall, including scenes shot at padstow and at lanhydrock house near bodmin, with orsino and his followers wearing uniforms that evoke. Much comedic confusion ensues, as mistaken identity causes characters to fall in and out. Or what you will is a 1996 british film adaptation of william shakespeares play, directed by trevor nunn and featuring an allstar cast. Set in the late 19th century, it was filmed on location in cornwall, including scenes shot at padstow and at lanhydrock house near bodmin, with. And nunn directs it in something of the same spirit. Twelfth night by trevor nunn, 97804712806, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. After a surviving a disaster at sea, viola, in a foreign land, disguises herself as her identical brother, and becomes the gobetween for the lovelorn count orsino and disinterested lady olivia. Viola is washed ashore but her twin brother sebastian is lost. Trevor nunn s interpretation of disguise gave the audience a sense of understanding of his. He was not, however, excluded from the action of the play though he was, in a way, distinct from the rest, as if playing under different rules or bei. Hidden and mistaken identities, requited and unrequited loves, pranks and jokes abound in this romantic comedy.
During shakespeares time, the area, off the adriatic sea, was. This page contains the original text of act 2, scene 5 of twelfth night all acts and scenes are listed on the twelfth night text page, or linked to from the bottom of this page. The first thing that caught me off guard was the portrayal of cesario viola. Or what you will is a 1996 britishamericanirish film adaptation of william shakespeare s play, directed by trevor nunn and featuring an allstar cast. William shakespeare 15641616 shakespeares great festive comedy, probably written and first performed around 1601, follows the adventures of twins viola and sebastian, who are separated from each other by a shipwreck. Trevor nunns interprtation of twelfth night to shakespeare in.
From the 1970s tv version with joan plowright playing both twins, through trevor nunns ex nt director 1996. She presented herself as man or by her transformation name cesario by getting rid of her feminine garments, cutting her hair, banding. Nunns version shows him to be a deft theatrical juggler, whose gift is to toss up a dozen major roles among plots, subplots, and plotsaborning, and keep all balls in the air. Or what you will is a 1996 britishamericanirish film adaptation of william shakespeares play, directed by trevor nunn and featuring an allstar cast.
Twelfth night by william shakespeare free at loyal books. A onceinalifetime cast shines in this hilarious version of the beloved shakespeare comedy. This production is part of a famous series produced by bbc of all of william shakespeares plays. English playwright william shakespeare wrote the twelfth night or what you will during the 16011602 winter season. Shakespeares comedy of gender confusion, in which a girl disguises herself as a man to be near the count she adores, only to be pursued by the woman he loves. A stirring orchestral score for trevor nunns filmed version of twelfth night, released by fine line features in the u. British theater director trevor nunn brings out the glee in this play at least in part by peopling it with. Trevor nunn obviously worked really hard to make sure this worked as a film in its own right, not just the play welded to the cinema. An analysis of trevor nunns adaptation of twelfth night kibin. Trevor nunn s screenplay together with an extensive introduction and production stills was published to coincide with the films release in 1996. Grant, nicholas farrell, nigel hawthorne, ben kingsley, stephen mackintosh, mel smith, imelda staunton, toby stephens and. Twelfth night trevor nunn, helena bonhamcarter, imogen.
When a shipwreck separates siblings viola and sebastian in a foreign land, each thinks the other is dead, and both embark on a series of romantic misadventures involving deception, crossdressing, dashing counts, obese alcoholics and a perceptive fool who presides over the entire madcap affair. It is beautifully filmed and not only immensely enjoyable for people who know and love shakespeare but a marvellous introduction to him for children. Other topics submitted by shanelleb5 words 90 pages 6. The twins sing hey ho the wind and the rain during a howling.
Upon seeing the film i did notice some similarities and differences between my interpretation of the characters and the filmmakers. Released amidst a flurry of innovative shakespeare films, trevor nunns 1996 film of twelfth night can seem stodgy, retro, or just dull in comparison. Through the lens of trevor nunn s 1996 film and the 2012 globe production of twelfth night which we discuss in ep. Twelfth night is set in in illyria, a real place from classical antiquity, that existed as far back as the tenth century b. This is a british star studded cast production of shakespeare s twelfth night directed by trevor nunn and the best you could see. Nunns vision seems to be a modern take on a timeless celebration of love whereas others like kenneth branaghs 1987 version used elizabethan settings and historical ideas and themes like courtly love and puritanism to show twelfth nights simple reality as a problem play which nunn attempts to whitewash.
Expertly cast and consistently wellplayed, the romance is delightful and the low comedy is at least amusing, with the two principals viola and olivia portrayed with. Twelfth night by john sichel alec guinness, tommy steele. Comedy as a comedy twelfth night directed by trevor nunn. The digital programme includes exclusive articles and interviews so you can discover more about the production on your iphone and ipad. Oct 11, 2009 it is always helpful to have a written text visually mapped for the reader, especially one that is meant to be illuminated. Audrey tinkham characterization malvolio what kind of man is malvolio. Twelfth night, or what you will is a romantic comedy by william shakespeare, believed to have been written around 16011602 as a twelfth nights entertainment for the close of the christmas season. Instead of simply playing this genderbending comedy of mistaken identity, the director highlights the dark undertones of the plot which show surprising depth. Shakespeares comic, romantic tale of loss and love, disguise and gender takes on haunting, autumnal tones trevor nunns screenplay together with an extensive introduction and production stills was published to coincide with the films release in 1996. Relationships revealed trevor nunn s twelfth night.
The play centres on the twins viola and sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Trevor nunns interprtation of twelfth night to shakespeare. Watch twelfth night or what you will 1996 movie online. Twelfth night critics consensus director trevor nunn makes some questionable choices, but his stellar cast which includes helena bonhamcarter, ben kingsley, and nigel hawthorne more than. His fascinating introduction to the published screenplay for the film is a story of disappointments. An ideal introduction before reading the original text. Trevor nunn s energetic 1996 tilt at this noisy, affectionate tale shows that a lush, fullbore screen treatment of twelfth night was long overdue. The comic agonies of viola and sebastians separation seem made for the screen.
Twelfth night one of william shakespeares most wild and raucous romantic comedies begins when viola and sebastian, nearly identicallooking siblings. Surprisingly, nunn has never directed twelfth night in the theatre. Trevor nunns screenplay together with an extensive introduction and production stills was published to coincide with the films release in 1996. Trevor nunns giddy twelfth night barbara shulgasser, examiner movie critic. Characterization violacesario how necessary is the willing suspension of disbelief for stubbs gender bending to work. We are delighted to announce that we have finally completed work on a night to remember, our legendary performance from 2012 recorded live at the guildhall school of music in londons world renowned barbican centre. Tamsin greig is malvolia in shakespeares classic comedy of mistaken identity. Twelfth night original soundtrack original soundtrack.
Master shakespeares twelfth night using absolute shakespeares twelfth night essay, plot summary, quotes and characters study guides. This televised adaptation of william shakespeares twelfth night, originally screened on britains itv in 1969, stars alec guinness, tommy steele, joan plowright and sir ralph richardson in the principal roles. This handsomely mounted version of shakespeares beloved screwball comedy suggests he should lower himself to celluloid adaptations more often. Trevor nunns energetic 1996 tilt at this noisy, affectionate tale shows that a lush, fullbore screen treatment of twelfth night was long overdue. A shipwreck separates viola imogen stubbs from her twin brother, sebastian steven mackintosh. A stirring orchestral score for trevor nunn s filmed version of twelfth night, released by fine line features in the u. When i first read twelfth night there was a character that drew my attention because he was apparently placed away from the other characters.
Twelfth night is a 1996 britishamericanirish film adaptation of william shakespeares play, directed by trevor nunn and featuring an allstar cast. Twelfth night is no chamber comedy, but a sweeping, genderbent symphony of gags, deceptions, and love lost and regained. Download the digital version of the twelfth night programme via our backstage app. Bringing to light the whole feel for the play, twelfth night, directed by trevor nunn, clarifies the comedic undertones, specifically, the character feste ben kingsley and his relationship with other characters, and the. While the time period for the film version has been changed from that of shakespeares play nunn, better known for directing stage productions, has chosen a 19thcentury setting, listeners had hoped for a more compact musical outing, with the presence of more antique. Believing him to be dead, viola disguises herself as a boy and goes to work for duke orsino toby. What is the difference between doing shakespeare on film vs stage. Trevor nunns interpretation of disguise gave the audience a sense of understanding of his idea into the cross dressing process by using visual imagery which is seen through the decepetor herself viola. Released amidst a flurry of innovative shakespeare films, trevor nunn s 1996 film of twelfth night can seem stodgy, retro, or just dull in comparison. William shakespeares twelfth night is a masterful meditation on the comic and tragic effects of fluid emotions such as infatuation, ecstasy, and intoxication trevor nunns twelfth night, on the other hand, is a confused mess that so utterly misses the intent and tone of the original work, i struggle to conceive of a worse adaption. In the second, nunn s film receives a very thorough specific analysis.
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