MSU players have a ravishing run of ‘Twelfth Night’ 

Rarely, is a Shakespearean play done well. Michigan State University’s current production of “Twelfth Night” is quite the exception, a cut above any Shakespeare I’ve seen in a long time. Start to finish, bottom to top, the MSU Department of Theatre sizzles. It crackles and pops.  

Usually, walking into a Shakespeare play without first knowing the storyline is analogous to walking the Appalachian Trail without a map. Better yet, it’s something like a Star Trek episode where you land on a distant planet, discover the people look a little like you, sound a little like you, but what?   

This story centers on Viola, a noblewoman in her twenties who has just survived a shipwreck, realizes her twin brother may have drowned and that she is now alone in the world.    

She quickly adapts to her circumstance and pleads with the ship’s captain to arrange for her to be a pretend eunuch in the court of Duke Orsino, hoping she might woo him away from  the indifferent Lady Olivia.  

The plot focuses on these characters. Viola being the ersatz middleman wooing Olivia on behalf of Orsino, simultaneously having the hots for Orsino herself.  

Isa Rodriguez is Viola, garbed as Caesario, manly with a long afro buzz-cut for much of the play. Rodriguez is steady-as-she-goes, clever and competent, calm and deliberate with clear no-nonsense intention and grace. Ryan Adolph as Orsino and Jamie Lein as Olivia do a good job displaying the off-putting pomposity and arrogance of their entitled characters. 

This production, however, belongs to supporting actors who seize the moment and steal the show at every opportunity. Chief among them are Kevin Craig as Sir Toby Belch and Claire Wilcher as Feste, the jester in Olivia’s Court. Wilcher is a singing jester whose resounding lyrical voice fills the Arena stage and environs. When she is merely talking, Feste’s wit outshines the half-witticisms that are sprinkled throughout the play by others.  

Craig, as the drunken “Uncle” Toby, slithers and slides across the stage drawing multiple laughs along the way, and his contribution to the complicated sword play in Act II is simply dazzling.  

Right behind this dynamic duo are Chaseton Caine as Malvolio, who’s crush on Olivia puts him at odds with her suitor Sir Andrew played by Nate Davis. Each of these actors bring creative innovation and high energy to their roles. 

 Sharon Combs is Maria, lady-in-waiting to Olivia and Eli Drake is Fabian, Olivia’s gardener. Overall, a merry bunch of pranksters, indeed. 

Credit guest director Gus Kaikkonen for much of the incredibly complex stage direction, and a special kudos to sound design and lightning (pun intended) direction Nick Zoia for the spectacular thunderstorm and shipwreck at the beginning of the play.  

How does this all turn out? Aye — there’s the rub. One must see it to believe it. 

“Twelfth Night” 

Wednesday, Nov. 13 to Sunday, Nov. 17 

Various times 

$10-15 

MSU Auditorium, Arena Theatre 

542 Auditorium Road, East Lansing 

calendar.cal.msu.edu