If music be the food of love...

If music be the food of loveÂ…play on
Class Act Theatre continues its commitment to bring large cast popular works to Perth audiences and is proud to present:

William ShakespeareÂ’s
TWELFTH NIGHT
directed by Stephen Lee

Twelfth Night was perhaps Shakespeare’s farewell to comedy before he embarked on the writing of his mature tragedies – just about the same time as Hamlet. Thus Twelfth Night is a bitter sweet comedy with hints of loss and growing old – but with some of the funniest and most beautifully drawn characters in his whole canon!

There’s Malvolio (Graham Mitchell), the arrogant, pompous steward, Sir Toby Belch (Jay Walsh) and Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Anthony Harwood) – an early version of Laurel and Hardy! These two, along with the feisty Maria (Angelique Malcolm) are the driving force behind most of the mischief in the play. There is Feste (Vivienne Glance), the cynical slightly sad clown who watches over all this with knowing eyes, Orsino (Adam McGurk), the love-struck Duke, pining away for a lady (Olivia played by Alinta Carroll) who lives her life in mourning for her dead brother. And finally, there is Viola (Alison Van Reeken); in love with Orsino but unable to let him know, because she came to him disguised as a boy!

Stephen Lee - accomplished director, actor and Artistic Director of the newly formed Attic Theatre Company – directs this, his second Shakespeare with Class Act Theatre, which produced Othello last year. The cast also includes veteran actor, Gerald Hitchcock, newcomer, Ben Russell and Equity Guild Award winner, Shirley Van Sanden.

Stephen has decided to set this production in the early years of the nineteen-seventies. This was a time when for many, the hedonistic pursuit of pleasure became paramount, a time when once suppressed sexuality was allowed to come to the surface and where the lines between gender began to blur. “I feel that Twelfth Night fits very well into this period,” says Lee, “it is a play about love and lust, both requited and unrequited, where “boys” love men, friendship can mask deeper feelings and servants nurse in secret a desire for their mistress.”

Venue: The Rechabites Hall, 224 William St, Northbridge
Season: June 3 - 18 (Tue-Sat) 8pm
Matinee: Sat 18 June at 2pm
Schools matinees: Tue 7, Mon 13 & Tue 14 June at 10am.

Bookings through BOCS: 9484 1133
Groups Call (discounts available): 9321 6831
Tickets:
$14.90/$16/$24; School Groups only $12
Contact: Angelique Malcolm 9337 2060 or 0411 122 064



Thou roguish sheep-biting lout!