In the household of Olivia (Mark Rylance), two campaigns are being quietly waged - one by the lovesick lord Orsino against the heart of the indifferent Olivia; the other by an alliance of servants and hangers-on against the high-handedness of her steward, the pompous Malvolio (Stephen Fry). When Orsino engages the cross-dressed Viola to plead with Olivia on his behalf, a bittersweet chain of events follows.
This all-male production explores clothing, music, dance and settings possible in around 1601.
Filled with a cast of unforgettable characters, Twelfth Night combines cruelty with high comedy and the pangs of unrequited love with some of the subtlest poetry and most exquisite songs Shakespeare ever wrote.