Episode 618. Directing ‘Twelfth Night’

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Austin Tichenor is directing Twelfth Night at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company this fall, and it turns out he’s almost the only one at Cincy Shakes or the RSC who’s never worked on it before! Fortunately, RSC members Teddy Spencer, Jerry Kernion, and Dominic Conti, plus Chicago actress and professor of acting at Northwestern University Cindy Gold, are able to give him tips and insights into the play and its characters because they’ve all done Twelfth Night multiple times. Featuring discussions of the text, Shakespeare’s authorial intent, the driving force that is Maria, the difficulty of Malvolio, spectacular insight into Sir Toby Belch, the value of dumb shows and fencing, the way to dress Sir Andrew, excellent high-kicking, and the wonder of having a well-oiled Orsino. (Length 23:47) (Pictured: Caitlin McWethy as Viola in a promo shot for the Cincinnati Shakespeare production of Twelfth Night. Not the final design.)

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