SOUTH SALT LAKE — Parker Theatre is home to a hilarious and bold production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” that demands the attention of Utah audiences.
The plot involves two shipwrecked siblings who are separated for years, and eventually find their way back into each other’s lives. In the meantime, loves are won and lost, disguises are used, mishaps occur, and a gaggle of drunks and a clown cause their usual Shakespearean mischief.
Often staged as a baldfaced farce, director Anthony Buck made a bold move to downplay the farcical nature of the comedy, and introduce more pathos. When the play started, I thought to myself, “This is a comedy, right?” Rest assured, there are plenty of enormous laughs to be found. What Buck chose to do is contain most of the silliness within Sir Toby’s circle of ruffians, which allows tha audience to feel more empathy toward the protagonist, Viola, and her plight—grounding the play’s humanity in the process.
Buck also includes smart directorial choices that help the audience follow the archaic plot and language. Viola dons her disguise onstage while another scene plays out, so the audience can easily follow the character. And later, we see two officers notice Antonio and Sebastian in a town scene, setting up their later pursuit of them.
For anyone into the technical aspects of theatre, the lighting design by James B. Parker is worth the price of a ticket alone. The thoughtfully considered and excellently executed lighting was wonderfully tailored to each scene. It expertly separated areas and characters, helping the audience know where to look and creating three-dimensional spaces (the light operator was Colby Carpenter). For example, a prison scene put green on a prisoner downstage, and cast violet hues on visitors mid-stage, effectively conveying a prison entrance. Floorlights also cast fabulous shadows on the prison and late night revelry scenes, creating a lively and visually appealing atmosphere. (“Such lovely lighting. Each scene thought out,” I wrote in my notes.)
The intricate set, also designed by James Parker with Caleb Ceran as scenic painter includes areas of interest in all three levels of the stage (upstage, downstage, and midstage), including a fountain set piece, arched walkway and tiled entrance and stairway. High arches are used throughout the set design, including moving pieces, bolstering the palatial feel of Olivia and Orsino’s regal residencies. The pulling of a massive sail from side to side by offstage stagehands also made for a simple but thrilling shipwreck scene.
Camrey Fox gave a strong comedic performance as protagonist and habitual crossdresser Viola. Her monologues displayed good thinking and storytelling, and the way she posed on a piano in a faux masculine manner was hilarious. Hannah McKinnon displayed tremendous range and comic sensibilities as the lady Olivia, who falls for the disguised Viola. McKinnon effectively played an uptight noblewoman turned lovestruck maiden, and had by far the best moment and line delivery of the evening—an exclamatory “Most wonderful!” when it seemed her number of boyfriends had suddenly doubled.
Tyler Oliphant‘s robust voice and performance as hapless drunk Sir Toby also stood out. Oliphant’s opera experience shone through as his vocals filled the auditorium, with good delivery and diction. The texture on Oliphant’s voice was also a treat, and gave delicious heft to lines like “You are well fleshed!” and “Satisfaction can be none but by pangs of death and sepulchre.”
Jason Hackney was loose, cocky and natural as Duke Orsino, a man who pines in vain for Olivia’s hand. And while Owen Briggs was far too good looking to be a fool (complete with a smoldering, piercing stare), he nonetheless had some good moments, like when he started to merrily march offstage when he thought a conversation with Malvolo was over. Katherine Tietjen as Maria clearly stood out among the cast in her ability to deliver the Shakespearean text, with excellent understanding and elocution; it was a delight to experience her performance when she was onstage.
The production is full of other delightful moments, especially when the two siblings are mistaken for each other. Fox and Alex Glover, who plays Viola’s brother Sebastian, aren’t exactly dead ringers for each other in height or build. The production leaned into this deliciously, by other characters mismatching eyelines and being surprised at their differing musculature.
Overall, The Parker Theatre’s production has many outstanding elements that warrant recommendation; with plenty of laughs and fine performances. The set is outstanding, and the lighting design is the finest I’ve seen in a long time. I recommend this production to anyone looking for a laugh, whether a Shakespeare buff or not.
These reviews are made possible by a grant from the Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts, and Parks program.
