The play centres on the twins viola and sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Shakespeares twelfth night bears something of the same relationship to his serious romances like romeo and juliet that, if you will forgive the comparison, airplane. He cannot have her because she is in mourning for her dead brother and refuses to entertain any proposals of marriage. Viola who is disguised as cesario falls in love with duke orsino, who in turn is in love with countess olivia. Twins are separated in a shipwreck, and forced to fend for themselves in a strange land. One might think that being so far removed from the era would make this less of a straight adaptation, but for the most part the plot remains intact. After the twins sebastian and viola survive a shipwreck, neither knows that the other is alive.
Apparently movie execs love putting girls in drag and making homoerotic jokes until shes revealed to be, thankfully for heteronormativity, a girl. Viola goes into service with count orsino of illyria, disguised as a. Shes the man is not only an underrated teen comedy, but stands as the greatest shakespeare adaptation since 10 things i hate about you. Viola, olivia, and sebastian all have identical names and plots, but tatums character duke orsino has a twist. Twelfth night or what you will 1996 video detective. Due to its jumbled fusing of plot lines, time wasting fight scenes, and bizarre characterization, trevor nunns twelfth night fails utterly as an adaptation of the source material. An allstar cast presents superb performances, but what really stands out is that the actors playing the twin brother and sister actually closely resemble each other, thus making the farce almost believable. Sure names are changed due to the country but the basic plots follow what the original text intended without deviating from what shakespeare intended. In terms of shakespearean chronology, the bittersweet edge to the play and the fact that it is essentially a comedy with the dark. Review of john gorries twelfth night film adaptation. Tim blake nelson, othello, and get over it 2001, dir. Twelfth night is an ok shakespeare adaptation, a handsome, agreeably performed rendition that fails to ignite much laughter or any real emotion. Twelfth night isnt as popular as romeo and juliet, as shakespeare plays go, but somehow its inspired just as many teengeared adaptations.
Shakespeares comedy of gender confusion, in which a girl disguises herself as a man to be near the count she adores, only to be pursued by the woman he loves. Originally broadcast on britains itv, this classic performance captures all the slapstick, puns and double entendres that have amazed and amused audiences for over four hundred years. William shakespeare explored these themes in many of his plays, including twelfth night, and these themes are still very much part of todays culture. Being an adaptation, if the movie resembles the play, at the same time it also presents instances of being a piece of visual art, specifically meant for the modern audience. Twelfth night, or what you will is a comedy by william shakespeare, believed to have been written around 160102 as a twelfth nights entertainment for the close of the christmas season. With sheila atim, antony bunsee, shalini peiris, simon nagra. The 6th january 1980 was the day that john gorries film adaptation of william shakespeares twelfth night was broadcasted.
Violas shipwreck took the form of a painfully lengthy projected blackandwhite film, and poor. Set in the late 19th century, it was filmed on location in cornwall, including scenes shot at padstow and at lanhydrock house near bodmin, with orsino and his. Start studying changing adaptations through time twelfth night. Ive seen twelfth night in several stage versions as well as on film. Twelfth night has been described as like hamlet in a comic vein.
Twelfth night, or what you will introduction shmoop. Rather the problem is that the parts are not played with much harmony. Shakespeares play twelfth night epitomizes the patriarchal society of the 17th century, rooted within the comedic elements customary to plays during the era. What did critics think of the shakespeare in the park. Generationtheatres twelfth night adaptation falls short of shakespeares genius.
Changing adaptations through time twelfth night flashcards. Or what you will is a 1996 british film adaptation of william shakespeares play, directed by trevor nunn and featuring an allstar cast. Public theater triumphs with musical adaptation of a classic. With gillian jones, ivar kants, jacquy phillips, peter cummins. The frivolous tone of this adaptation fails to epitomize the historical setting, depth of characters, and poetic magnificence of this comedic play. Night shyamalan casts five in new secret film for universal.
Nunns vision of twelfth night, however, is comparable to a jane austen romance as what his characters experience is real love, whereas in branaghs version like others show orsinos love for olivia is possessiveand selfindulgent. While some of the performances are a bit silly, nothing about the film is terrible. Tamsin greig is malvolia in a new twist on shakespeares classic comedy of mistaken identity. Two modern films based on shakespeares twelfth night, and. An adaptation of twelfth night by cathleen nesbitt for the bbc was the first complete shakespeare play ever broadcast on british radio. Twelfth night is a tale of unrequited love hilarious and heartbreaking.
Set in the late 19th century, it was filmed on location in cornwall, including scenes shot at padstow and at lanhydrock house near bodmin, with. Shes the man essay new time period, new medium, new. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The producer kenneth branaugh captures the essence of the play, whilst adding his own twist and flair to it without interfering with the plot. Generationtheatres twelfth night adaptation falls short. We did all the filming, editing, and organised everything. Shes the man is a modern adaptation and interpretation of the twelfth night but the movie varies greatly from the original play. Twelfth night shakespeares seasonal comedy about a shipwreck that separates identical twins sebastian and viola. Its modern film adaptation, andy fickmans shes the man, encapsulates the essence of the original text and is. What did critics think of the shakespeare in the park twelfth.
So yes, obviously, shes the man is much more modern than twelfth night, and keeps almost none of the same script, except the basic plot, the. Streaming films of twelfth night available to the university of puget sound campus. Paulies attempts to become more masculine to impress and attract her. Sir andrew aguecheek and sir toby olivias suitor and her uncle in the play andrew and toby are dukes roomiesfriends in the movie antoniomonique movie premodern era audience would have viewed this relationship as homosexual as well as a modern audience. Nov 19, 2019 in trevor nunns film adaptation titled twelfth night. Shakespeares comedy about twins, viola and sebastian, shipwrecked on the island of illyria.
Once you do learn a thing or two about shakespeare and twelfth night, the moviewatching experience is only enhanced the clever ways in which names and locations are repurposed is one big part of the shes the man magic. Twelfth night is a fastpaced and accessible musical comedy adaptation in which illyria becomes. Jul 26, 20 this is our own interpretation of the ending of twelfth night. Enter sebastian, who is the spitting image of his twin sister. A 2001 adaptation of susan swans novel the wives of bath. Twelfth night, or what you will is a romantic comedy by william shakespeare, believed to have been written around 16011602 as a twelfth night s entertainment for the close of the christmas season. Overall i think i prefer the interpretation that kenneth branaghs renaissance theatre company gave twelfth night in the 1988 tv play, though i had some problems with that which thankfully, nunns adaptation corrects. Adjust for period, genre and style, and acknowledge the fact that shakespeare occupies a different creative universe than, say, david zucker, and the intention is the same. I am fully aware of how unbelievable the ending can be most of the time its done. The modernity of the film makes the context of the play. Trevor nunns adaptation takes full advantage of these cinemamatic advantages. Unfortunately, like much in the film, this development goes untouched after this scene. Rebecca twitchell remarks in her blog, shes the man is a smart and modern twist on shakespeares twelfth night.
I have one quibble, however, and it is considerable. London college of fashion, university of arts london directorconceptcostume. Or what you will shakespeares twelfth night was brought back into cinematic form again. Tobys for maria is a matter of casual, drunk conveniency.
Directed by gorrie it stared alec mccowen malvolio, felicity kendal viola, sinead cusack olivia, annette crosbie maria and robert hardy sir toby belch, in an absolutely delightful. These themes are still so much a part of modern contemporary culture that there are still new works being created based on shakespeares. Getting started twelfth night production guide libguides. Here are 15 movies inspired by some of the bards greatest works. Twelfth night an allusion to the night of festivity preceding the christian celebration of the epiphanycombines love, confusion, mistaken identities, and joyful discovery. Twelfth night becomes shes the man in this modern adaptation. The same may be said of twelfth night, which cuts from various outdoor settings in illyria to orsinos dwelling to olivias house to olivias grounds. The themes of gender roles and relations between the genders have been popular topics throughout history. In trevor nunns film adaptation titled twelfth night.
Its first production is a full text version of william shakespeares twelfth night, a 400yearold stage play adapted for the screen to reflect and reach multicultural britain today. The first twin, viola, falls in love with orsino, who dotes on oiivia, who falls for viola but is idolised by malvolio. In the kingdom of illyria, a nobleman named orsino lies around listening to music, pining away for the love of lady olivia. Fearing for her safety, viola disguises herself as her brother. Modern adaptation and interpretation of the twelfth night. Determined to survive on her own, she steps out to explore a new land. Adapted and directed by smethurst, with welsh actor ayola harry potter and the cursed child as executive producer, twelfth night is available on amazon prime. Charming full text, modern, location based screen adaptation of. This occurred on 28 may 1923, with nesbitt as both viola and sebastian, and gerald lawrence as orsino. Amanda bynes is hilarious as the soccerplaying, feminist viola i like cheese, and i like this movie.
Twelfth night was first adapted into a film in 1910, as a silent production. Paulies attempts to become more masculine to impress and attract her roommate echo the complexity of violas relationship with olivia. Meanwhile, off the coast, a storm has caused a terrible shipwreck. Kwame kweiarmah and shaina taubs newly conceived adaptation of shakespeares twelfth night began performances at the delacorte theater in central park on july 17. The making of twelfth night series when the decision was made by britains channel 4 to film a tv adaptation of shakespeares twelfth night, the result was a gloriously irreverent, deliciously colorful production in which the twins viola and sebastianparminder nagra and ronny jhutti. Shakespeare has been adapted in countless ways over the years, sometimes as in the case of these films rather subtly. So yes, obviously, shes the man is much more modern than twelfth night, and keeps almost none of the same script, except the basic plot, the main characters names, and a few quotes here and there. Its 100% acceptable for the ending to be plausible, because of the way the scenes were done and the extra physical elements that were added.
With tamara lawrance, daniel ezra, oliver chris, brad morrison. Viola who is disguised as a boy falls in love with duke orsino, who in turn is in love with the countess olivia. Twelfth night a musical adaptation of william shakespeares twelfth night conceived by kwame kweiarmah and shaina taub directed by. Or what you will is a 1996 britishamericanirish film adaptation of william shakespeares play, directed by trevor nunn and featuring an allstar cast. Made for a school drama exam and because this is what we enjoy doing. Apr 26, 2012 one might think that being so far removed from the era would make this less of a straight adaptation, but for the most part the plot remains intact. Although the marriage of teen film and shakespeares plays might seem. Raja gosnell, an adaptation of as you like it, 10 things i hate about you 1999, dir.