Sherwood Entertainment's 'Twelfth Night' is Comedy Gold!

Be not afraid of greatness.

Sherwood Entertainment (in association with New England School of Arts) presented the classic William Shakespeare play, Twelfth Night. After a shipwreck, Viola disguises herself as a man named Cesario to serve the duke. A mix-up of love affairs and mistaken identities occurs as they try to solve their dilemmas.

Laughter ensued as the audience enjoyed the humorous performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. The show kicks off with an energetic dance party setting a lively mood. As the cast excelled in the comedy, Twelfth Night’s portrayal of love encourages acceptance and understanding of gender identity.

Twelfth Night brought together an amazing cast of actors. Each character in Twelfth Night serves a distinct purpose. The ensemble's chemistry was one of the best parts, having fun working with one another.

Anetta LaCount did a fabulous job as Viola/Cesario. LaCount did a great job of manifesting her character through all the interactions with characters. Through Viola’s disguise, her character challenges societal norms and expectations.

Comedy duo Branigan Reed (Sir Toby Belch) and Damien LaCount (Sir Andrew Aguecheek) stole the show! Every time Reed entered the stage carrying a pineapple-shaped drink, the audience was ready.

The cast breathed new life into the classic comedy with infectious energy. Olivia Allaby (Maria) and Kaleigh Ryan (Malvolio) were hysterical as the backup narrators, adding adlibs to each scene. No small part ever exists in the theater in which the cast successfully demonstrates.

This was not your average Shakespeare show. This rendition is an excellent example that every Shakespeare performance is always different. That was the first element directors Darren Bernard and Matthew Garlin wanted to challenge. They desired to adapt the traditional Twelfth Night production while introducing fresh and unexpected elements to make it unique.

They switched the Elizabethan period into the good old 90s. The cast successfully studied the Shakespearean language but also added modern improv. At one point Cesario and Feste (Matthew Garlin) discussed the relationships in the hit sitcom Friends. This was my favorite scene! The two could barely contain themselves, giggling onstage.

So much was going on in the finale, like characters racing in circles in the love triangle of madness. There’s even a Star Wars battle! The cast added ad-libs anywhere they could. One person almost tripped, adding the funny improv, ‘Tuck your foot in!’ to make it part of the scene. Everyone was laughing the entire time.

Speaking of the laughter, the audience's reaction is the most memorable aspect. Before the start of Sunday’s final performance, Matthew Garlin noted they had the most commemorative audience response throughout the run. I agree. Laughter is the best medicine and it’s what live theater is all about.

One audience member was in hysterics the entire show, leading a cast member to thank them for their jolly response onstage. That’s the definition of theater. It’s all about having fun, learning about new worlds, and bringing people together to experience new delights.

Twelfth Night has an array of messages about love, identity, and familial values. Since the release of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, relationships and identity have changed immensely. Bernard and Garlin deserve high praise for their innovative approach, especially with the show’s moral. The pair took the time to analyze certain power dynamics and relationships. Love is love and we should be happy about who we are.

Don’t be sad if you missed a performance because Sherwood Entertainment’s Twelfth Night will be streaming on YouTube. Tune into this hilarious production because the cast’s hard work is not to be missed.