Victorian Players’ ‘Twelfth Night’ is enjoyable evening

By Eric McCrea

entertainment@vindy.com

Youngstown

To some, Shakespeare is the height of theatrical sophistication. To others, he’s intimidating and difficult to understand. Fortunately, The Victorian Players production of “Twelfth Night” proved to be approachable with a story that has held up over time.

Viola, played by Jeanine Rees, washes up on the shores of Illyria, and fears her twin brother has drowned. Alone in a strange land, she disguises herself as a man and secures employment in the service of Orsino, Duke of Illyria (Alex Keane) and quickly falls in love with him. The Duke sends her to win the favor of a Countess named Olivia, played by Lindie Schwarten, on his behalf. However, Olivia falls for Viola’s assumed identity, Cesario, creating an offbeat love triangle.

Meanwhile, in Olivia’s court, head steward Malvolio (Terry Shears) becomes the victim of a foolish plot in retaliation for his stern and arrogant demeanor.

A confident and capable cast, under the masterful direction of Amy-Anne Kibler, kept a great tempo throughout the show. Their ability to add some modern interpretation to the original dialogue made the plot understandable and highlighted the Bard’s comedic side.

Rees was phenomenal as the show’s lead. Her absence from Youngstown stages has not gone unnoticed, and it’s a pleasure to have her back. One of the main themes from “Twelfth Night” is gender reversal, and Rees had a magical way of making it feel natural. She straddles the line between precocious and tomboy with grace and nobility.

Schwarten gave a well-balanced performance as well. At times, she was the epitome of aristocracy, and at other times, she was more of a college spring-breaker. In both cases, she seemed to be having a great time.

Delivering an incredible performance as the fool Feste, Elsie Kibler was a delight. Despite her youth, she showed she could handle the script easily and she was entertaining every step of the way. Her performance was, at times, casual and understated, but it felt relaxed, as if she was at home in her role.

Jenna Cintavey was hilarious as Maria. She, more than anyone else, emphasized the bawdy side of Shakespeare. She got some of the biggest laughs of the night and definitely deserved them.

Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew Auguecheek were two great roles played by two great actors. Played by Eric Kibler and Jeremiah Kibler respectively, the pair had an understandably familial tone to their performances. Kibler and son were uproarious together, especially alongside the festive Elsie. Their scene at the end of Act I resembled a game of Whack-A-Kibler, but it worked.

Shears excelled as the uptight prank-target. His experience with the role served him well, and he seemed to have a firm grasp on the material.

Nick Berger and John Thompson both played multiple roles skillfully. Thompson impressed in the substantial role of Antonio. Berger added a lot to his scenes, despite having only a few lines.

A Simple set made scene changes quick and gave actors a wider range of movement.

Overall, this show was solid, and an easy way to break into Shakespeare, if you have yet to experience it live on stage.

“Twelfth Night” will run at 2:30 p.m. today and next Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For reservations, call 330-746-5455.