There's a festival blazing a trail through Charlottesville in the form of "Twelfth Night," the newest production from theatrical troupe Shakespeare on the Lawn.
Shakespeare's play revolves around the Feast of the Epiphany, a yearly ceremony of partying and debauchery taking place on January 6, the "twelfth night" of Christmas. It is a time for loud celebration with undertones of good times coming to an end.
His play captures this environment perfectly, with a group of drunkards making merry and playfully plotting against non-celebrants and a love story revolving around mistaken identity and gender-bending. It's an emotional rollercoaster with an emphasis on both bawdy and ironic humor.
The play was controversial in its time for its cross-dressing aspect and, although audiences are more tolerant these days, the Shakespeare on the Lawn "Twelfth Night" crew promises its production will be as wild and chaotic as possible.
Fourth-year College student Richard Spencer, costume and set designer, proudly points out "Everyone in it is absolutely insane." He says a primary goal is to recapture the wild atmosphere of seeing the play in a theater during Shakespeare's time, when audiences were a little louder and a lot dirtier. With the emotional pandemonium on display in rehearsals, every cast member seems rigorously dedicated to making this production memorable for its energy and enthusiasm.
The set and costume designs are equally unique and bizarre. Spencer says he is striving for an "explicitly and boldly theatrical" look for the stage rather than a trendy cinematic approach. He describes it as a "surreal landscape, not a set." In fact, the stage will be elevated, caf
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