12

The teaser was “12,” and it was suggested for Amazon Prime, and that was all. Added it to the watch soon list, and watched it, the other evening. Tight film version of the play, 12th Night, in slimmed down, minimalist form. Couldn’t find anything more than a tiny IMDB (citation here) entry.

Recommended: 12

Just a handful of players, doing an exceptional job with a scaled version of the script.

Diction, the language itself, was perfection to my ear. Not just good, but exceptional. Looked like a student-run project, but the values were on par with straight-up professional movies. No dis for the players or the crew.

Sound editing was a spotty in at least one place, where it was hard to hear Ceasario (Viola) deliver his (her) melliferous prosody. But there was some extra musical material, dropped in, on the sly, forbidding transitions, a few light tones of some synthesizer. My guess is this treads the line between amateur, and professional, and I would suggest, it is professional.

To me, though the only question when I watch players fretting and stuttering on stage? Or, in this situation on the set? Listen. How’s the language interpreted, is it dogged? Is it rote recitation or performance, as if it were living language?

To me, it was perfect, the rhyme disappearing in times, sounding like normal conversation, only, prettier.

It’a great show, a marvelous adaption, and one or two interesting cuts. Brilliant acting, and nothing but accolades for the cast and crew.

One of my own, personal “great losses” from the summer of 2020? No Shakespeare in the park, or, more to a point, no Shakespeare at Winedale. I missed an interpretation of a couple of plays, spirited acting, and the intimate, if warm, theatre experience, live. This (video/film, long-short) is a prime example of what I take away from the Winedale Shakespeare experience. In my mind, it’s almost exactly the same, the play’s the thing.

What I missed? I can go back and watch it again, all a part of Prime, I would surmise. As slightly shorter, kind of updated version of Shakespeare’s 12th Night, or What You Will? It’s really worth it. The actors in this one flat-out deliver the goods.

I have a few critical points, but I would be less inclined to share those, as they are minor, personal opinions, and it’s a matter of taste. As far as freely available version of the play? It’s well-worth the investment of time to watch. It’s a solid hour and half of excellence.

On amazon prime, now.

Recommended: 12

#shakespeare