It’s hard enough preparing for a role in a play — especially one written by Shakespeare. But when London’s Filter Theatre took the stage at Shilpa Kala Vedika on Friday to perform their take on Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night, they made it seem like a walk in the park.
While the play itself was written around 400 years ago, the group’s decision to use modern musical elements as well as continuously breaking the fourth wall — once, even to silence a Shilparamam security guard’s whistle — ensured it had a fresh appeal even now, while being “authentic”.
“We think we are being authentic because when Shakespeare did it for the first time, it was a new play, he did it on a bare stage with no scenery, he did it in modern dress, he had actors and musicians all live, as we’re doing it,” explains producer Sean Holmes, adding, “But also, there’s so much music and sound... the first line says, ‘If music be the food of love, play on’ so we take that as our cue to explore all the modern relationships and love that seems very contemporary, even though we’re using the old language.”
About using one actor for multiple roles, Sean admits that he wishes the reasoning behind it had a deeper meaning: “The pretend idea is that it’s a play about identities and doubling and twins... but the real reason is that it’s cheaper. Six actors, cheaper than twelve!”
Amy Marchant who plays Viola, Sebastian and Viola’s male-avatar Cesario, says that for her the role’s physicality is what she focuses her energy on. “Personally, it’s a physical and vocal thing for me. Sebastian has a heavier energy and slightly lower register in my voice. Also, if I get a baseball cap at the beginning of a show, I turn that around and it’s just a visual sign for the audience that helps,” she says.
The play also involved the audience, who were invited on stage to dance
While the company has been performing the play for over 10 years now — the first time being at the Royal Shakespeare Company in the English town Stratford-upon-Avon — this is the first time they’ve performed in India. “I thought it was a very appreciative and sophisticated response from Hyderabad,” says Sean, “We’ve played to 7,000 schoolchildren in one go in Bhubaneswar, and for students in Kolkata too. Young people in particular have been very engaged with the play, because I think the way in for them is through the music. And it’s the charisma of the actors on stage, because they’re all lovely people!”
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