Twelfth Night
Pictured clockwise from top:
Peter Harding – Toby Belch / Antonio / Valentine
Rina Mahoney – Olivia / Maria / Officer
Richard Howard – Malvolio / Andrew Aguecheek / Curio / Priest
Chris Donnelly – Orsino / Feste / Fabian
Claudia Elmhirst – Viola / Sebastian
Synopsis
Viola has been shipwrecked in a violent storm off the coast of Illyria, losing her twin brother, Sebastian. She disguises herself as a boy, assumes the name Cesario, and becomes a page in the service of Duke Orsino. Orsino is having little luck courting Olivia, who is in mourning for the death of her father and brother. Viola is sent to Olivia with a message of love. Olivia, intrigued by the impudent young "boy," contrives to get "Cesario" to return by sending her steward, Malvolio, after her with one of Olivia's rings. Viola realizes to her dismay that Olivia has fallen for Cesario, while she herself has fallen for Orsino.
Sebastian (Viola's twin, presumed dead) comes ashore in Illyria thinking that Viola has drowned in the shipwreck. Antonio rescued him and continues to aid him—at some risk to himself, as Antonio fought against the Duke at one time.
Meanwhile, in Olivia's house, Sir Toby Belch (her uncle) tricks the foolish Sir Andrew Aguecheek out of money by convincing him that he could be a suitor to Olivia. There is a running feud between Malvolio and Sir Toby. With the help of Maria, Olivia's maid, and Feste, a clown, they plot to make a buffoon of the steward: Maria writes a love letter to Malvolio that will make him think Olivia has fallen for him. Malvolio is convinced; Olivia is horrified, Sir Toby and his accomplices delighted and Malvolio is imprisoned as a madman.
Belch eggs Sir Andrew into a duel with "Cesario" character. Antonio happens upon the scene. Believing Viola to be Sebastian, he intervenes and is arrested. Later, Belch and Sir Andrew encounter Sebastian, who doesn't back down from Aguecheek when challenged and resoundingly beats him. Olivia intervenes in the matter, and—mistaking Sebastian for Viola/Cesario—presses her suit for him. A bemused Sebastian agrees to marry her.
When Orsino arrives and Antonio is questioned, the confusions mount, especially when Olivia enters, searching for her new husband—who she thinks is Viola (as Cesario). Adding to the chaos, Belch and Aguecheek enter claiming that Viola/Cesario has violently assaulted them. In the midst of Viola's denials, Sebastian appears. The brother and sister recognize one another and are reunited. At the end, Orsino and Viola pledge their love, Olivia and Sebastian will remain satisfactorily wed, and Olivia rebukes Belch and Maria for their abuse of Malvolio, who vows his revenge upon the whole lot.
Actor Biographies
Chris Donnelly trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He has had the
pleasure of being part of the Actors From The London Stage ensemble since the company formed six years ago, and
has performed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck), Measure For Measure (Pompey), in
The Winter’s Tale (Autolycus) and in Troilus and Cressida (Diomedes). His theatre credits
include the role of Lollio in The Changeling for Andrew Hilton’s highly acclaimed
Shakespeare At The Tobacco Factory Company, as well as the role of Antigonus and The Shepherd in Erica
Whyman’s highly acclaimed version of The Winter’s Tale at the Southwark Playhouse.
Chris’s television credits include Fat Friends, Silent Witness, Wire In The Blood, Drop The Dead Donkey, Casualty, Wycliffe, The Verdict, Reckless, and Damion Spinks in Eastenders. In addition, Chris has performed many plays for BBC Radio 4.
Claudia Elmhirst received her training at LAMDA. She has performed
in A Chorus of Disapproval (Bridget); Love’s a Luxury (Molly), Strange Orchestra
(Jenny), King Cromwell (Bettie Cromwell) and The Tempest (Miranda), all with the Orange Tree
Theatre; Desdemona (Desdemona); Charlotte’s Web (Fern); and Waste (Lucy Davenport).
Claudia’s film work includes the role of Veronica in One Night Fall. She is trained in cello and piano, and is active in several sports. This is Claudia’s first tour with Actors From The London Stage.
Peter Harding trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. His
Shakespeare work includes Othello and As You Like It at the Royal National Theatre, directed
by Peter Hall and John Dexter, respectively, as well as Titus Andronicus (Titus Andronicus),
Henry VI Part III (Richard Duke of York); Macbeth (Banquo), and the Merchant of Venice
(Duke of Venice, Price of Aragon, Balthasar, Old Gobbo). Peter has also appeared in the Royal National
Theatre’s production of The Romans in Britain (Cai).
Peter has a long list of TV roles, including Steve Kember in Murphy’s Law, Dr. Martin Kendall in Holby City, Det. Supt. Price in East Enders, and Jack the Ripper in All the World’s a Stage, all for the BBC; Jack North in Dream Team for SKY/TV; and Dave Mowbray in Wycliffe for YTV. Peter has also recorded for BBC Radio.
Richard Howard’s recent London/West End theatre work includes
Carnaby Leete in The Marrying of Ann Leete (Orange Tree Theatre); Rev. Phelps in Blues for Mister
Charlie (Tricycle Theatre); Dudley in Pam Gems’ Stanley (Royal National Theatre); Mr.
Brocklehurst in Jane Eyre (Playhouse); the sculptor Rodin in Self Portrait (Orange Tree Theatre)
and Rev. Oliver Purefoy in the revival of Sailor Beware! (Lyric, Hammersmith. His most recent appearance
in repertory was at the Bristol Old Vic and on national tour as Duncan and the Porter in Macbeth, starring
Peter Postlethwaite.
With Actors Fromt the London Stage, Richard has toured to the USA in Macbeth (Macduff) and As You Like It (Jaques). Richard’s recent TV appearances include The Government Inspector; Born and Bred; Love in a Cold Climate; Innocents; David Copperfield and Oliver Twist, and his films include Oh! What.
Rina Mahoney’s theatre work includes A Passage to India
with Shared Experience on the U.K and U.S.A. tours; Dona Rosita with Orange Tree; Peter Pan with
the Birmingham Repertory Theatre; Behsharam with the Soho Theatre/Birmingham Repertory Theatre; The
Tempest and Vurt with Contact Theatre; Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream
with Cheltenham Everyman; Private Lives and Woman in Mind with Bolton Octagon; East is East
with Oldham Coliseum, and Cinderella with the Nottingham Playhouse.
Rina’s TV credits include Coronation Street for Granada TV; Emmerdale for YTV; Hearts and Bones, Doctors, and Casualty for the BBC. Later this year, she can be seen in the UK in Blue Murder (Granada TV) and Eleventh Hour, a new drama series with Patrick Stewart, also for Granada. She has also recorded numerous leading roles for Radio Drama at BBC Radio 4. Currently, Rina is working on a one-woman show based on the possible fate of the character of Isabella after Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure has ended.