“I did impeticos thy gratillity;
for Malvolio’s nose is no whipstock.”
Feste the Fool in Shakespeare’s 12th Night (II.iii.10)
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At the San Pedro Playhouse, across from SACC? San Pedro park? Played for broad comedy against a sort of ragtime era, and the actors really did a good job owning, playing, and interpreting the play’s story.
I’ve often considered Feste the Fool to be a rather plum role, and the actor in this one executed it nicely, hamming up the rich parts, and on stage, with a beautiful voice, singing the songs. As an added bonus, he was in formal wear, looked akin to a performance tux. Like the conductor of the orchestra, or the lead opera singer.
There’s another scene, sort of depends on staging, but the Orsino character, he’s talking about heart and love with Cesario (Viola), and as he peeled out of a robe, revealing a bare chest, there was a collective gasp from the audience, his handsome, chiseled features were matched with a sculpted body. Viola, as Cesario, did the double take.
Early, the more modern homoerotic nature of the relationship between Cesario and Orsio got audible smirks from the crowd.
Olivia was a little over the top, but her seduction of Cesario was poignant yet truly funny, well-played. She was actually one of the best Lady Olivias I’ve seen, her and her servant, Malvolio.
The actor playing Malvolio brought a touch of class, and just as much fun with an added, slightly refined version of that character. Still an obnoxious character he gets what he deserves.
Never mock the Fool.
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It was achingly perfect, a clear night, warm cooling to perfectly comfortable weather, a distant train whistle in the background. Oh, to live downtown again.
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Orsino:
I know thee well; how dost thou, my good fellow?
Feste:
Truly, sir, the better for my foes and the worse for my friends.
Orsino:
Just the contrary: the better for thy friends.
Feste:
No, sir, the worse.
Orsino:
How can that be?
Feste:
Marry, sir, they praise me, and make an ass of me. Now my foes tell me plainly I am an ass; so that by my foes, sir, I profit in the knowledge of myself, and by my friends I am abus’d; so that, conclusions to be as kisses, if your four negatives make your two affirmatives, why then the worse for my friends and the better for my foes.
Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night V.i
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- Older mentions:
- Austin
- 12 Night
- Twelfth Night
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There’s an amusing note, to me, unrelated to most of this nonsense. Allegedly, not fact-checked by me, the Shakespeare “coat of arms,” or family heraldry image? It had a yellow backing with black stripes, “Yellow stockings, cross-gartered,” as a nod to the popular comedy.
“Non sanz droict.” (again)
#shakespeare
