Brother and sister Viola and Sebastian, who are not only very close but look a great deal alike, are in a shipwreck, and both think the other dead. When she lands in a foreign country, Viola dresses as her brother and adopts the name Cesario, becoming a trusted friend and confidante to the Count Orsino. Orsino is madly in love with the lady Olivia, who is in mourning due to her brother’s recent death, which she uses as an excuse to avoid seeing the count, whom she does not love. He sends Cesario to do his wooing, and Olivia falls in love with the disguised maiden. Things get more complicated in this bittersweet Shakespeare comedy when a moronic nobleman, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and a self-important servant, Malvolio, get caught up in the schemes of Olivia’s cousin, the obese, alcoholic Sir Toby, who leads each to believe Olivia loves him. As well, Sebastian surfaces in the area, and of course there is Feste, the wise fool, around to keep everything in perspective and to marvel, like we the audience, at the amazing things happening all around. –IMDb
It moved me to tears of hilarity! Haha.. Anyway, a perfect cast. Though the play is considerably cut in this version, it still was a great adaptation.
The terrific production values are only the beginning - this really is quite a perfect blend of action, comedy, drama and romance. A pretty wonderful play and adaptation - though I have to say, I don’t think it would’ve hurt to cut Malvolio’s abusers receiving their comeuppance at the very end; for while it may have been moral, it was also quite a mood dampener after the uplifting moments of revelation just beforehand.