Review: 'Twelfth Night' by Shakesperience in the Litchfield Hills

Washington - Shakesperience in the Litchfield Hills is presenting a charming production of Shakespeare’s comedy “Twelfth Night, or What You Will” at a beautiful outdoor location at Washington Walk. The play is directed by Emily Mattina and produced by Shakespearience Productions, Inc.

The production team is calling the production their second annual, choosing to ignore the year 2020 for which this show was originally planned, and looking forward to returning next year.Over 1400 patrons attended the four free performances in 2019 of “Comedy of Errors.”

The director describes the beautiful set of Illyria as a “fantastical Garden [of Eden] where original music, exaggerated costuming of the Age of Enlightenment, and collective imagination envelop and deliver us.” Ms. Mattina has directed approximately half of the works of Shakespeare at least once.

The set designed by Jessie Lizotte does just that, with a bit of a stained glass feel, plenty of spaces and stairs, and a garden swing. That original music by cast member Joe Boover, with the assistance of Doug Donato and Jake Green, is performed mostly by Mr. Boover and adds a very appreciated touch. When the composer sings with his mandolin as Feste, a jester, it delights the audience, and the choral singing of the original works was just as good. Julie Leavitt’s costumes are traditional and colorful, with the attendants of the households of the Duke and Countess in color-coded ensembles that help with keeping them straight.

Equity member Richard LaFleur portrays the male twin Sebastian, the brother of Viola. He does very well with the role and I wished that he had a little more time on the stage; he also served as the Fight Captain for the production and the Dance Captain for the cast. Equity member Abra Segerson takes on the roles of Viola and her disguised version Caesario, convincingly for both.

Orsino, the Duke of Illyria is played well by Equity actor of color Gerrard James and Abigail C. Onwunali, who is a Nigerian-American actor and writer studying at Yale, is so very funny in the role of Olivia, a countess.

Kathleen Green is back on the Shakespearience stage in the role of Valentine, an attendant in blue to the Duke. It is valentine to her fans to see her acting and singing once again. Viola Lapham is growing up, now a rising seventh grader, and graces the stage as Curio, another of the Duke’s attendants. Ms. Lapham has been acting with her parent’s company since 2012.

Laura Herscovici, an incoming freshman at the University of Utah, returns to the stage with Shakespearience as Fabian and is completely natural in the mischievous role. Roger Netzer plays Sir Toby Belch and Humphry Rollinson is his partner in crime, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a would-be suitor to Olivia. Mr. Rollinson plays the title role in Barnaby Druthers a Nutmeg Junction Radio Series currently heard in 16 states.

Kelvin Dinkins, Jr. embraces the role of Malvolio, a duped steward to Olivia, in his debut with this company. Clark Eileen Atkinson plays a sailor and a priestess, and Steve Schroko (“Newsies” at White Plains Performing Arts Center) is the sea captain who is a friend to Sebastian. Ann Merriam Feinberg returns to the stage after a 58 year break to play Maria.

Light and audio by Advanced Lighting and Sound Solutions worked quite well considering everything was outdoors. The lighting enhanced the beautiful stage and the microphones worked quite well, although Ms. Feinburg’s was consistently too loud. Steve Gambini was the technical director.

“Twelfth Night” is presented with one 15-minute intermission and runs about two hours. As with all outdoor performances, bring a chair, plenty of bug spray and a jacket for after the sun goes down. I suggest one with a hood to protect your scalp from bug bites. Try to catch a performance before the set comes down on Monday.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. She recently became a contributor to the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column and theatre reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.

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