Perth Theatre’s new creative director for theatre Rachel O’Riordan has chosen 1920’s Scotland as the setting for Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the first full-scale production she has directed since taking up the post earlier this year.

With its open spaces, isolated communities and sea-lapped shores, Scotland is well cast as the imaginary land of Illyria in the play, which follows the mixed romantic fortunes of shipwrecked Viola, lovestruck Count Orsino, and the beautiful Olivia.  They are joined by a crew of Shakespeare’s most memorable characters in this maelstrom of confused desires, malevolent mischief and mistaken identity.

And that’s not where the Celtic connections end as Rachel, who comes from Northern Ireland, has assembled a cast of largely Scottish, Irish and Welsh actors for the production which runs in Perth Theatre from Friday 30 September until Saturday 15 October.

Commenting on how the rhythm of the Scottish accent lends itself particularly well to Shakespearian verse Rachel said:

“In Shakespeare’s day there would have been no ‘received pronunciation’, so, allowing the actors to talk in their natural voices lets the words come across as clearly as they were intended.  There is definitely a Celtic heartbeat to this production with the muscularity of the accents adding to the musicality of the show.”

Music plays a big role in Perth Theatre’s Twelfth Night with Conor Mitchell, fresh from his Edinburgh Fringe success with Scotsman Fringe First Award-winning productions Ten Plagues and Tuesday at Tescos writing original score and performing live throughout the play.

In common with one of her mentors, Sir Peter Hall, Twelfth Night is Rachel’s favourite Shakespeare play and she is relishing the opportunity to direct it for the first time in Perth Theatre.

“Twelfth Night is a fantastically character led play, full of clever twists and pacy dialogue with a whole stack of themes to explore.  It needs a big cast, so it is not staged very often, so I am delighted to bring it to Perth audiences.”

Twelfth Night launches the new theatre subscription season in Perth Theatre on Friday 30 September and runs until Saturday 15 October.  For tickets call Horsecross Arts Box Office on 01738 261031, visit www.horsecross.co.uk.

Source: Horsecross