Crazy for love
Both Orsino and Olivia’s households have love on the brain. But who, really, are the objects of desire? When Viola, a shipwrecked castaway, disguises herself as a boy and finds work as Orsino’s servant, she becomes entangled in an awkward love triangle. Things come unglued, but for almost everyone, Shakespeare’s treasured comedy ends happily. Our 75th anniversary production of the play that launched OSF in 1935 brims with antics, beds and bathtubs, and beloved characters, both prudish and crudish.
Artistic Team/Cast
Director
Scenic Designer
Costume Designer
Lighting Designer
Music/Sound
Cast List
Viola
Olivia
Orsino
Malvolio
Sir Toby Belch
Sir Andrew Aguecheek
Feste
Maria
Sebastian/Sailor
Antonion/Sailor
Fabian
Sea Captain
Priest
First Lady in Olivia's Court
Second Lady in Olivia's Court
* Member of Actors' Equity Association
Synopsis:
Viola and Sebastian, noble twins of Messaline, are shipwrecked and separately make their ways to the shores of Illyria. Each believes the other is dead. Viola disguises herself as a page and heads to the court of Duke Orsino.
Orsino spends his days pining for the love of the countess Olivia, who, mourning for her brother’s death, has vowed to refuse romantic suits for seven years.
Viola, now calling herself “Cesario,” rises quickly at Orsino’s court and becomes his confidant. Orsino sends her to woo Olivia for him, but Viola is torn: She wants to serve Orsino but has fallen in love with him and doesn’t want him to marry Olivia.
Olivia finds herself attracted to Orsino’s page. She sends her steward, Malvolio, after “Cesario” to give “him” a ring—one she says Orsino sent and she wishes to return, but Viola recognizes it as a love token from Olivia to herself.
Puritanical Malvolio tries to keep the countess’s household in order, but her drunken uncle, Sir Toby, rebels. He has invited Sir Andrew Aguecheek into Olivia’s home, supposedly to court Olivia, but really to fund his revels. After Malvolio breaks up one of his parties, Olivia’s gentlewoman, Maria, helps Sir Toby plot revenge by forging a note from Olivia confessing her love for Malvolio. When Malvolio finds it, he follows its bizarre instructions to dress in cross-gartered yellow stockings and to talk nonsense to show he returns her love. Olivia, thinking her steward mad, orders him locked up.
Meanwhile, Sebastian has been rescued by Antonio, a ship’s captain wanted in Illyria for fighting against Orsino’s forces. Antonio loves Sebastian and risks his life to help the youth establish himself in Illyria. The captain gives Sebastian his purse and sends him out on the town.
Sir Toby convinces cowardly Sir Andrew to impress Olivia by challenging Cesario to a duel. Antonio, mistaking Viola for Sebastian, rescues her and is arrested by Orsino’s officers. When Antonio asks Viola to return his purse to pay his bail, she denies knowing him. Antonio, feeling abandoned, is carried off. Malvolio, imprisoned in a dark cell by Sir Toby and Feste, begs for release, but Feste, posing as a parson, insists that confinement is necessary for his cure.
Mistaking Sebastian for weak Cesario, Sir Andrew strikes him. Confused, Sebastian strikes back. Olivia enters, reprimands her uncle and suitor, and, also mistaking Sebastian for Cesario, invites the youth to come home with her. They marry.
When Antonio is brought before Orsino, Cesario explains how Antonio rescued “him.” Antonio charges Cesario with betraying him, baffling both Cesario and Orsino. Olivia enters and claims Cesario as her husband. Orsino now believes Cesario has betrayed him too. What’s a girl to do? Suddenly, Sir Andrew and Sir Toby, wounded, run in. Sebastian follows and apologizes to Olivia for injuring her uncle. The astonishing appearance of double Cesarios leads to the joyous reunion of the twins, but can all the loose ends be tied up? What about Malvolio? When misrule is overthrown, can all injuries be righted?