The week of the play was an incredibly long week – especially that Wednesday. I had a final in one of my classes and a research paper due. Nonetheless, I was excited to check out the Fiasco Theater’s contemporary version of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.”
First and foremost, when I saw Professor Eversley knock on the glass window of a coffee shop to get our attention, I was surprised. I was not expecting this play to take place in a coffee shop, so I was rather intrigued. Upon walking in, the shop was full of people of all ages, but mainly millennials in their early twenties. Everyone was so full of energy, talkative, and drinking different coffees and teas that I had never seen before. After about ten minutes of waiting, the lights flickered and we were ushered into the auditorium in the back of the shop.
The setup was not at all what I was expecting. The only plays that I had been to were ones in which the performers and viewers would simply face each other. I was so excited to see that there were three different sections for seating arrangements, and I did not even care where my seat was because I knew that the actors would be moving around a lot in order to reach out to everyone.
When the play finally began, I was super shocked at how amazing these actors were. Every play I had been to, I was never truly able to witness the actors’ body movements and facial expressions because I was never close enough. The first half of the play I had a lot of trouble following the characters’ names and what exactly was going on. Although I got the gist of what was happening, I think I may have missed a few key points.
I was so tired that day and I was unable to focus. So, during the intermission, I knew I had to get up and grab a cup of coffee. I pretty much never drink coffee, but I thought I might as well try some. It was actually pretty damn good, and I would totally get coffee from there again (highly recommended).
When the show began again, I was more energized and ready to focus. The second half truly had me cracking up. I began connecting the dots and understanding the context around what was going on, which made it ten times more comical. I would have to say that my favorite actors were Paco Tolson and Andy Grotelueschen, who played Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Sir Toby Belch, respectively. They were both loud and energetic, with hilarious scenes. Also, shoutout to Tina Chilip for playing the character of Maria; she was perfect for the role. Lastly, the suspense was killing me as I was waiting for Sebastian and Viola to enter the same room and see each other for the first time in a while. The ending tied together and all made perfect sense.
Overall, this was my first time experiencing a Shakespearean play live, and it was pretty great. The comedic aspect and the seating arrangement made this a show that I will never forget.
