Twelfth Night

Quite a while ago, Susan asked me if I would be interested in seeing a Shakespearean play in Conwy Castle in summer. I don't think I even paid attention to what play it was; I said yes. If you do things with good friends it's not even crucial what it is you are doing, and I like theatre, and I like Conwy castle. There wasn't much that could go wrong with this!

The play, by the way, was Twelfth Night, by the Duke’s Theatre Company. I didn't know the play, or the theatre group. I suppose the Dutch are less obsessed with Shakespeare than the Brits. So I would see something new as well.

This event would take place shortly after Susan would come back from her scientific cruise. And I thought it would be nice to mark her return. It has been a long trip! I was thinking about baking a cake, and then we needed a good opportunity to eat it. And the play could be a good one. People were encouraged to bring a picnic! And Martin wouldn't be there, and things are not complete without him, but he wouldn't be in the office the next Monday either. And postponing it further would mean she would have got entirely used to being back, and the sense of occasion would be missed. We would have to make do! But he would be represented; I thought it would be nice if I would bake  rhubarb cake with rhubarb he had grown. I have rhubarb in the garden too, of the same stock, but mine isn't doing so well, and I had already eaten the entire harvest. And so it happened!

Initially, it would be just the three of us going, and then later Dean’s mother was added to the list, but when Susan picked me up there was no third person in the car. Dean’s mom had had to bail. So I got in the car, cake and all, and off we went. The venue was gorgeous! And we found good places near the front. And then I revealed the cake. I had managed to spell out "welcome back" on it in sugar, cinnamon and flour (I turned out not to have icing sugar), but the lettering had faded. I was glad I had taken a picture when it was still legible! And she was pleased with the gesture. Success!

Celebratory cake

Sue and Dean had brought wraps. A fine feast! And there was plenty of time before it actually started. There also was time to go to the loo. And while doing that, I realised that a fellow cave rescuer was in the audience! That was nice. He was there with his wife. And he even mentioned he had been hungry. So after doing what  needed doing, I brought them both a piece of cake. That was gratefully received!

Then it started. The company had taken a bit of a liberal approach to the setting of the play. Some of the costumes were quite renaissance, some of them were more 40s, and some of them were even modern. It didn't bother me! But in the first few scenes, they rattle quite quickly through who is related to whom in what way, who is in love with whom, and who thinks who is dead. I struggled to keep up!

Toby edging on Cesario in the duel with Andrew

Subtle it wasn’t, but amusing it was. Good singing too! And some Shakespearean switching of infatuations, and of course misidentifications. I suppose a bit of food for thought too; what now for Malvolio? He gets a very raw deal. And pondering that we went home. I’d do this again!