Review: “Twelfth Night”
- Anthony Chase
- Jul 10
- 5 min read
A Golden Summer at Shakespeare in Delaware Park
By Anthony Chase
For its milestone 50th summer, Shakespeare in Delaware Park chose a play as effervescent and enduring as the festival itself, “Twelfth Night.” Under Eileen Dugan’s sure-handed direction, this production is a triumph, as handsomely cast and produced as any I’ve ever seen at the Saul Elkin Theatre on Shakespeare Hill.
“Twelfth Night” is a play about mistaken identities and romantic confusion. After a shipwreck, Viola disguises herself as a man to serve Duke Orsino, who loves Olivia -- who, in turn, falls for Viola in disguise. The play weaves together love triangles, comic mischief, and ultimately, joyful reunions for everyone. (Well, almost everyone!)
My own busy summer kept me from the Delaware Park for a couple of weeks, but when I finally caught “Twelfth Night,” I enjoyed it so much I returned for a second visit. This is a fitting tribute to five decades of free open-air Shakespeare in Buffalo; therefore, I don’t think it’s out of place to document this auspicious occasion, even as the production enters its final week.
The action begins with the sound of a crashing ship, followed by the entrance of Mike Garvey as the Sea Captain, carrying the limp body of winsome Solange Gosselin as Viola. Garvey’s grounded presence in this opening moment provides expert exposition in a role that is more functional than showy, immediately orienting the audience within the play’s world. Viola, separated from her twin brother Sebastian, must navigate the unfamiliar duchy of Illyria disguised as the page Cesario.
Viola’s quick wit and emotional urgency come alive in Solange Gosselin’s portrayal, making her journey feel both fresh and vital. Bringing youthful energy and charm to the role, her Viola becomes the play’s heart and conscience. As her twin, Sebastian, Richard Thomas Robbins is earnest, delightfully bewildered, and ultimately triumphant in the play’s final revelations.
With any production of “Twelfth Night,” the actors playing young Viola and Sebastian are, of necessity, among the least experienced onstage. Here, the surrounding ensemble of seasoned Shakespeareans provides a scaffolding that allows the young leads to flourish.
With a regal bearing and flashes of vulnerability, Rebecca Elkin – the daughter of festival founder Saul Elkin -- leans into Olivia’s blend of hauteur and despair, playing her romantic misperceptions to the hilt and drawing both laughter and sympathy. Her Act V reading of “Most wonderful!” is delightfully worth the wait as it punctuates this captivating performance.
Chris Hatch’s Orsino is dashing and credibly clueless -- a man so besotted with the idea of love that he nearly misses the real thing before him. I saw Hatch both before and after a leg injury obliged him to use a cane, and he was equally good on both occasions. Indeed, he seems to have turned the cane into an asset.
The comic engine of “Twelfth Night” lies in its subplots, and here the production truly ignites. Norm Sham’s Sir Toby Belch is magnificent -- boisterous, scheming, and outrageously funny.
Todd Benzin’s Sir Andrew Aguecheek is a marvel of comic invention: pompous, foolish, and endearingly outmatched in every scheme. Benzin’s fruitless attempts to keep up with Sham’s Sir Toby and Isaiah Brown’s Fabian are executed with such specificity and timing that the unscripted laughter he earns feels inevitable.
As Fabian, Brown steps up and holds his own alongside these comic virtuosos, landing the famed “improbable fiction” line with assurance.
VerNia Garvin’s Maria is mischievous, coquettish, and slyly in control -- her chemistry with Sir Toby is palpable, making it easy to see why he is smitten.
Rendered ridiculous by his very humorlessness, Daniel Lendzian’s Malvolio is a model of comic severity. His yellow-stockinged humiliation is a highlight, as is his final Act V entrance -- a performance that is both hilarious and oddly sympathetic. Indeed, some of his fresh interpretations of Malvolio’s lines are the finest I’ve ever heard. His reading of the forged letter is sublime.
Delivering a performance as playfully rich and physically agile as it is intellectually sharp, Kevin Craig is a standout as Feste. Shakespeare wrote the role for a specific actor, Robert Armin, who succeeded the company’s original clown, Will Kemp, the year before “Twelfth Night” premiered. Armin was renowned for rare wit, musicality, and sophistication.
Craig’s interpretation honors this legacy, navigating Feste’s unusually intricate wordplay with ease and engaging in verbal sparring across class boundaries. Craig’s musical renditions (in this play that begins with the immortal words, “If music be the food of love, play on!”) are more than decorative; they serve as emotional anchors, balancing humor and poignancy. He imbues the character with a subtle melancholy and wisdom that suggest a life fully lived. His nuanced portrayal reveals the depth and complexity that make Feste one of Shakespeare’s most remarkable creations -- a fool who is both entertainer and commentator, combining music, philosophy, and emotional depth to enrich the play’s dramatic fabric.
Ann Emo’s costumes are a colorful parade, perfectly suiting the play’s carnival spirit. David Dwyer’s set is a gem -- a miniature town that feels both intimate and expansive. Emma Schimminger’s lighting is deft and evocative, punctuating dramatic highlights with painterly precision -- a notable achievement in the unpredictable park setting. From the opening shipwreck to the conclusion, Tom Makar’s music and sound design are essential, elevating the play’s emotional resonance, while Steve Vaughan’s fight choreography turns comic brawls into story-driven delights.
By imbuing an oft-overlooked character with touching loyalty, Nathanial Higgins lends Antonio a quiet dignity and clarity, as he suffers the brunt of the play’s mistaken identities. This affecting sincerity elevates the character’s reunion with Sebastian, lending Robbins’ performance a heartfelt resonance.
Bill Baldwin makes memorable use of limited stage time in the role of the Priest, infusing the character with an amusing note of befuddlement that lingers in the mind long after the scene has ended.
Eileen Dugan’s extensive history with Shakespeare in Delaware Park is woven into every aspect of this production. Her direction is marked by clarity and momentum, but also by a deep understanding of the play’s architecture: she recognizes that the young leads -- Viola and Sebastian -- require the steady foundation provided by a robust supporting cast. Dugan’s own resume, which includes directing an Artie Award-winning all-female “Macbeth” and memorable turns as Jessica, Lady Macbeth, Mistress Quickly, and Olivia herself, informs her approach. The result is a production that feels both meticulously constructed and alive to the moment.
As the sun sets over Delaware Park, laughter and music ring out, and one is reminded why, after fifty summers, Shakespeare in Delaware Park remains a Buffalo treasure.
“Twelfth Night” continues through July 13th at Shakespeare in Delaware Park. Admission is free. Performances begin at 7:00 p.m., every evening through Sunday. Seating is not provided. Bring a blanket, a picnic, and your sense of wonder.
