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Twelfth Night
Young Vic, London
KWAME KWEI-ARMAH opens his tenure as artistic director at the Young Vic with this highly successful musical adaptation of Twelfth Night that played in New York’s Central Park to glowing reviews.
It will not appeal to Shakespearian purists. The majority of the verse is replaced by Shaina Taub’s catchy musical score and the darker themes all but expunged but, running at 90 minutes and with a 30-strong local chorus, it's a joyous introduction to Shakespeare and a vibrant celebration of the Notting Hill community.
Set on the eve of the carnival, the street-party atmosphere is established from the outset as the cast, interacting with the arriving audience, populate both the auditorium and Robert Jones’s expansive, and brightly coloured street set.
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