At the opening last night of Maynardville’s 50th Annual Shakespeare production, the Cape Town City Council generously treated its guests to “a cocktail evening” – well, no cocktails in sight, or even a party, but the usual staid white marquee, seating at round tables, blomme, platters of deep-fried foods and a few prawns.
Though President Mbeki seems to have moved from quoting Shakespeare to Robespierre, it’s cheering to see our ANC led council take an interest in propping up Maynardville. The backstage facilities are a health hazard for the actors and the toilet facilities for the patrons hopelessly inadequate – women have to use the men’s cubicles if they are to finish by interval – “Gentlemen, please only use the urinal” – the usher martially urged us last night. Decent chairs – it’s currently unwise not to lug along your own cushions – are hopefully a priority.
The money – predictably – has been held up for two years now, but it seems there is never a financial impediment to throwing a banquet and creating a political platform, especially in an election year. I thought it an inappropriate way to celebrate the 50 years, and would have prefered the unveiling of a new ablution block.
The keynote speech or more accurately the reminiscence of a thespian, who has been away far too long to be missed and remains out of touch, read like a send-up. It recalled the opening scene of All About Eve – the presentation of the Sarah Siddon’s Award for Distinguished Achievement. The crisp voice of George Sanders as Addison deWitt entered my head in self-defence: “Being an actor he will go on speaking for some time. It is not important that you hear what he says. . .Having covered in tedious detail. . .” and no information, exhausted every possible clichéd preface to a series of irrelevant theatrical anecdotes [with indulgent laughter], his exit was applauded. At least I had a dry seat while the opening rains of Maynardville drenched the undeterred and far happier picnickers outside.
A review of the current production of Twelfth Night is scheduled for the M&G on January 27. I’ll hold off critical review until then, but will say that it gets an unequivocal thumbs up and stands as one of the best Shakespeare productions I’ve seen in South Africa for a long time. Congratulations to Geoffrey Hyland.
This year celebrates the fiftieth year since the annual Shakespeare productions started at Maynardville.
Twelfth Night remains one of the Bards best-admired comedies, together with A Midsummer Night’s Dream – the other most performed work at Maynardville – they account for ten of the past fifty productions. By contrast, the most acclaimed tragedies, Hamlet in 1964 and King Lear in 1966, were done once and never since.
Director Geoffrey Hyland’s Twelfth Night is spot-on. It is Shakespeare straight – no impinging directorial statements, no gimmickry, no fake modish relevancies. Illka Louw’s costumes – sybaritic and eye-catching – support the action, don’t become the act. Every word is audible, even from the minor players, delivered naturally, without marring the poetry.
In the female leads, Henri Landon is an impeccable Viola and Astara Mwakalumbwa a captivating Olivia. Part of the success is the cast of veterans and theatre troupers Hyland has assembled, with their considerable stage presence and precision comic timing. They’re worth listing: Jeremy Crutchley excels in his sympathetic portrayal of the repugnant Malvolio, Nicholas Ellenbogen as the ebullient Sir Toby Belch and Robyn Scott as a rather bawdy Maria, Adam Neill as the twit Sir Andrew Aguecheek.
Robert Jeffery’s courtly musical compositions played by his trio, together with the tender vocals of Claire Wattling as the Fool, round out a production of Shakespeare, that is the most accomplished seen in South Africa for years
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