The Bard Served With Cajun Spice
Sacramento Bee
William Shakespeare set "Twelfth Night" on an island he called Illyria, said by those of academic persuasion
to be located in the Adriatic Sea. But the play, now at the Berkeley Shakespeare Festival, could be placed anywhere at
any time. Or anywhere that has good weather, an opportunity to sample the pleasures and vexations of love, and a
group of players good enough to perform the greatest comedy ever written.
Many of the Elizabethan classics do not travel so well in time or space. "King Lear" demands the setting of an England in
the murk of prehistory, when primitive thought and action seemed reasonable. "The Merchant of Venice" becomes
disturbing when carried into a more enlightened era.
But the adventures and misadventures of "Twelfth Night's" four beguiling lovers could just as well have happened Friday
evening in America's Cajun bayous. And so they have - at least in this new version directed by Richard E.T. White.
It could be coincidence, of course, but a celebrated production of "Giselle" by the Dance Theatre of Harlem also takes a
classic and legendary theme and gives it delightful relevance in America's Southland. The Berkeley Festival's own foray
into Cajun country (to be shown Oct. 8 at the University of California, Davis) is ironical. In previous Festival
productions, some bloody plays ("Cymbaline" among them) were presented beneath the tall trees and stars. Yet the
venue for this congenial, moonbeamed and sunbeamed comedy is a small, indoor stage.
But not to worry. The Julia Morgan Theatre is an architectural gem, and the set for the play by Arial provides ample
compensation. Large renderings of abalone shells form walls and gates, reflecting their subtle mother of pearl tones and
adding a touch of magic to the scene.
The play, however, has been directed to a fare-thee-well and is not subtle at all. It is as raucous as a Berkeley
demonstration for free speech. Sir Toby Belch and Andrew Aguecheek (played by Olie Nash and Peter A. Jacobs) act like
a vaudeville team. The Count Orsino of Douglas Sills shouts and throws a book at a musician while speaking one of
Shakespeare's most lyrical and wistful passages. John Bellucci's Feste sings the traditional melancholy Elizabethan songs
with a lively Cajun beat.
The Malvolio of Julian Lopez-Morillas is outrageous, but also outrageously funny, and the Viola of Robin Goodrin Nordli
and the Olivia of Nike Doukas come close to the edge of parody but remain disarming and beguiling. So taken as the sum
of its wayward parts, this show could be described as "Twelfth Night Live."
With all the imposed stage business, something gets lost, of course. The wide range of Southern accents mishandles the
fine Shakespearean poetry and cadence. A good deal of the magic and charm of Illyria is missing. So also a measure of
the author's wit and wisdom.
-Alfred Kay, Sacramento Bee
September 23, 1990
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