South seas Shakespeare (old review)

South seas Shakespeare
Delta College takes the Bard to Polynesia with 'Twelfth Night'

Kate Macek
Special to The Record
Published Thursday, Oct 13, 2005

A love triangle set in 19th century Polynesia may sound like the premise for a steamy late-night movie, but San Joaquin Delta College has more on its mind.

That's where director Harvey Jordan has chosen to set Delta's new production of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night."

"The setting supports the themes of romance, merrymaking and even melancholy," Jordan said. "Twelfth Night" opens Friday at the Tillie Lewis Theatre.

The plot focuses on the nobleman Orsino, a Polynesian princess named Olivia, and Viola, a woman who disguises herself as a man, Cesario. While incognito, Viola falls in love with Orsino, who is already courting Olivia. When Viola as Cesario delivers Orsino's love notes, Olivia falls for what she thinks is a dashing young man. More mayhem ensues when Viola's brother, who looks just like Cesario, arrives.

In addition to the main story, there is mischievous cast of supporting characters in Olivia's household who add flavor through interwoven sub-plots involving practical jokes, disguises and mistaken identity.

For Jordan, the Polynesian landscape lends itself well to the play's wide range of emotions, including farcical humor, romance and darker moods. The play and setting also share such themes as free expression represented by the Polynesian island lifestyle vs. moral repression represented by European society.

He added that Shakespeare himself was prone to set his works in romantic locations, such as "The Tempest's" desert island.

"I'm convinced that if Shakespeare knew about Polynesia, he would have set a play there because his audiences loved exotic locations," Jordan said.

Jordan is no stranger to unorthodox adaptations of Shakespeare. He's directed "A Midsummer Night's Dream" set in the 1960s, "As You Like It" with a 1920s theme and even a Wild West "Taming of the Shrew."

This time out, his cast of 22 includes undergraduate and nontraditional students, as well as two Delta faculty members. Catherine Frye, the sophomore portraying Viola/Cesario, said she thinks the tropical setting helps make the play more accessible.

"It'll give it a sense of familiarity," Frye said. "It doesn't seem quite so alien to us as the Elizabethan era."