Going to our last play finally taught me the importance of doing research before going to see any performance or gallery. Having done no background reading for Twelfth Night I felt lost throughout half of the play, but as it progressed I began to understand what was happening before me and got engrossed into it. My first impression of the play was not a pleasant one. 
As someone who loves Shakespearean fashion I was disappointed with the choice of wardrobe for the actors. The clothes gave off early 1900s vibes, whereas the play was written around 300 years before that. Later on, as we had the talk we had with the co-director of the play, Noah Brody, I understood that they wanted the setting to be more ominous and relatable to the audience. I think they’ve achieved their goal.
Overall, I enjoyed this play, perhaps more than anything we got to see earlier. It was quite humorous. The unusual set up of the stage allowed everyone to see the scene unfolding before them. Noah Brody explained that it is due to that setup that they the actors have to face diagonally and be flexible. 
They also had to be pretty loud in order to be heard. It all payed off in the end as everyone was able to view the play as if they were a part of it. The scene of Malvolio wearing yellow stockings had everyone laughing. Most of all I loved the character of Feste. Though he is known as a fool and referred to as such, to me he seemed to be the wisest of them all. His status as a ‘fool’ allowed him to point out the flaws of others and poke fun at them, while getting paid as well. He was also pretty funny, especially in the scene where he pretended to be the priest. The actor playing him also had a brilliant voice making his character all the more appealing. The music was amazing as well, I wish they would sing more, and that is coming from someone who isn’t a huge fan of musicals.
Noah Brody, brought up an interesting point. He said that it is important to experience different types of performing arts in order to find something that matches our tastes. He mentioned circus as a type of performing art that is similar to theater. I don’t know what is it with people and the phobia of clowns (I was surprised to discover there was an actual term for it – coulrophobia) but I love clowns. Maybe it’s because I don’t associate them with characters from scary movies, but with ridiculously flashy people who entertain kids as a job. Every year a different circus troupe would visit my tiny hometown in I would go to see their performances every time. I confess I found watching acrobats, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists, and ‘wizards’ perform their ‘magic’ tricks, much more entertaining than the clowns trying to be funny. But I loved every moment of my time in the circus, and I think every child should experience that (I don’t think teenagers will enjoy it as much), just as I think every teenager should experience various art performances and exhibitions as we do during the Arts in New York City course. I think these experiences broaden our imagination and our perspective of life and make us open to new ideas.
