Set in and around a Victorian music hall, this production combine’s
dance with circus acts that can be distracting to watch and makes certain
sequences such as the opening scene feel overly long and unnecessary – despite
how creative it is. The dance opening
the play although well choreographed feels out of place in this Shakespeare
play.
However because of the intimate nature of the production, it
allows the audience to purely focus on the characters and what is happening.
But director Natalie York has also added a darker element to the play that
changes the perspective thanks to the circus setting – scenes such as when
Malvolio is being taunted by Maria, Sir Toby and others bring to mind bear
baiting and other similar activities which adds a cruel streak, making it hard
to watch at times.
