Every year, a select group of NYU students who approach modern and classical theater text delivers a performance of a Shakespearean play, one of two major performance projects. This year, The Classical Studio in the Tisch School of the Arts took on the classic play “Twelfth Night.”
“Twelfth Night” follows the story of Viola, who assumes the identity of her twin brother Sebastian so she can work for the Duke Orsino, with whom she falls in love with. Disguised as her brother, Viola is asked to court Countess Olivia for Orsino. Incidentally, Olivia falls in love with Viola instead. Amidst the chaos, Viola’s twin brother, Sebastian, comes to town, causing a flood of misunderstandings. Like many of William Shakespeare’s works, the play follows a complicated web of relationships, features many relatable characters and most of the show’s conflicts are due to miscommunication.
Students in the show take turns playing multiple roles, meaning there are 128 possible cast combinations over the show’s 30-performance run. In its interpretation of “Twelfth Night,” The Classical Studio both honors its Shakespearean source material and infuses a whimsical, personalized twist to the 400-year-old play.
The studio’s show is simplified and modernized — costumes are not period-accurate, props consist of modern-day items like Jellycat plushies and there are minimal set pieces. The cast focuses on the written content of the play, proving that a performance does not need extravagant sets or costumes to communicate Shakespeare’s original messages to the viewer. At the end of the day, the actors’ performances make the show.
At the performance I attended, senior Olivia Keville played Viola, delivering a stunning portrayal of the principal character. Keville breathed life into her dialogue, especially in the show’s final moments when Viola’s character reunites with her twin brother.
Senior Tanner Bendeba, who played Olivia’s drunk and comedic uncle Sir Toby Belch, packed their performance with physical comedy and wit. They effectively portrayed Sir Toby’s affinity for alcohol, stumbling their way through scenes and taking exaggerated sips of their flask along the way. Bendeba shined in his interactions with the equally talented Charlie Melkonian, who played Sir Andrew Aguecheek. The two played off of each other’s frenetic energy, honoring the production’s witty, irreverent tone. Their compatibility onstage shined in a scene where the two enter carrying their severed limbs, dramatically throwing themselves onstage with absurd anguish.
The pair had delightful banter with Nadia Hocum, who played Olivia’s housemaid Maria. The trio seemed like they had genuine fun getting the audience invested in their hijinks, especially in the scene where Maria concocts a plan to torture Malvolio, another one of Olivia’s servants. As she explains her revenge plot, Melkonian and Bendeba’s characters acted like attentive lapdogs, worshipping her every word. They celebrated her genius with childlike whimsy, jumping around with glee.
The actors’ raw, impressive performances were facilitated by the theatre’s immersive and simple setup, located in a Paulson Center studio. The studio’s walls were lined with chairs for the actors to sit on when they were not onstage, and the audience sat in a row in front of the actors’ chairs. The theatre’s layout created a sense of community between the actors and the audience, as they were both watching the show unfold from their seats. During scenes, actors weaved their way between the two rows. In one particularly memorable moment, three actors army crawled between the two rows and popped their heads up behind audience members’ chairs, leaving them only inches away from their faces. The audience became characters in the show, making the performance feel even more lively.
Music is central to “Twelfth Night” as the show begins with the line, “If music be the food of love, play on.” Although The Classical Studio focuses on acting, the cohort has impressive musical talent. The entire cast contributed to the show’s first musical moment, featuring instruments such as a piano, a ukulele and a tambourine. Each actor played an integral role in this moment, setting the tone for the play and showing the duality of the actors’ talent. Senior Diana Rendon, who played Feste the singing jester, sang a cappella throughout the play, impressively holding their tune with no musical backing. The lack of musical accompaniment allowed Rendon’s voice to fill the room, creating powerful moments of reflection and tension.
The production ends with an original song sung by the entire ensemble, uniting each member of the hard-hitting production. The actors broke character and interacted with one another, giggling and celebrating their successful performance. This intimate moment ultimately portrayed the very heart of the production: the relationships between the actors. Their connection created a culture of camaraderie that shone throughout the show, as they invited the audience to join in on the fun.
Contact Annie Emans at [email protected].
