‘Twelfth Night, or What You Will’: A Stellar Summer Production

The Chicago-based production company that presents Shakespeare’s classic cross-dressing comedy has done a fantastic job.

Little does Sir Andrew Aguecheek (J. Cody Hunt, R) know that he is really fighting a woman, Viola (Ama Kuwonu), in "Twelfth Night." Josh Darr

For those wondering why works by Shakespeare are still produced over 400 years after his death, the answer is simple.  His works are timeless. They explore human nature, which never changes. Not only did Shakespeare understand human nature, but he was also really good at making fun of it. Now, his “Twelfth Night, or What You Will” is even more laugh-out-loud fun in the Oak Park Festival’s revival that celebrates the theater company’s 50th anniversary season. 

A Zany Comedy

Indeed, Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” is a hoot. All the wrong people fall in love with all the wrong people. It lampoons human foibles and the folly of love by a zany mix of mistaken identities, with chaos and bewilderment ensuing.  

The title of “Twelfth Night” refers to the 12th night of Christmas, also known as the eve of Epiphany. In Shakespeare’s time, the day was often celebrated with a temporary suspension of rules and social order. It gave him a great excuse for the madcap antics that abound in the play.