'Twelfth Night' is given a musical makeover in 'Illyria'

Princeton university Players and Princeton Shakespeare Company have collaborated on an enthusiastic production of “Illyria,” a musical adaptation of “Twelfth Night” by Peter Mills ’95 and Cara Reichel ’96. Their take, which is a catchy musical contemporizing of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” is well-suited to showcasing the strengths of both companies.

“Illyria” is a light, accessible interpretation, which spices up the original play by highlighting drunken revelry, romantic ploys, mistaken identities and other comic staples. Fortunately, this cast by and large has the comic chops to pull it off. Laughs aside, however, “Illyria” is burdened by a convoluted plot that at times makes the show feel longer than its already substantial runtime. The production of Julia Bumke ’13, though moderately paced and conservative in form, can’t quite overcome these moments of tedium.

The comic timing and presence of the leads is consistently strong. Holly Linneman ’13 is effective throughout as the fool Feste, and Evan Thompson ’14 plays Duke Orsino, the bumbling, pompous and rather misogynistic noble around whom much of the romantic intrigue centers, very strongly. His on-stage preening and baffled exasperation at the difficulties of courting Olivia (Anna Powell ’13) are comic high points. Ryan Serrano ’12 is hilarious as Sir Toby, the corpulent drunk who concocts an elaborate plot to humiliate the uptight Malvolio (Mark Watter ’14). That the slim Serrano appears on stage without the slightest padding and talks of popping buttons off his waistcoat adds a further level of comedy.

In this vein, the whole production is a quirky but appealing mashup of the realistic and the fanciful. The costumes (designed by Kerry Brodie ’12) are understated and distinctly not contemporary, effectively contrasting with the modernized aspects of the production. The set, designed by Aryeh Stein-Azin ’13, is black and nearly bare, which is somewhat incongruous with the focus on “Illyria” as a place. The singing is unspectacular but adequate in a show in which vocal excellence is far from essential. The play’s strongest number is “Cakes and Ale,” in which Sir Toby revels in repeating a sequence of quaffing ale and eating cake. Taking advantage of the configuration of Matthews Acting Studio, the orchestra is situated on a balcony directly above the stage. This placement makes the musicians immediately visible as a physical presence on par with — or even above — that of the actors. On several occasions, the duke instructs them to play more or less vigorously, good comic moments that staging makes even funnier.

Bumke deserves credit for pulling together a complex production, and the cast should be commended for generally not letting the plot or the many numbers bog down the comedy. There is a natural resonance to performing works with close ties to Princeton on campus, something Bumke alludes to in her program notes. Overall, “Illyria” is a fun and relevant piece that Princeton Shakespeare Company and Princeton University Players were smart to include in their seasons.

3.5 Paws

Pros Great collaborative effort.

Cons Tedious points in a meandering plot.