Shakespeare in Southwold: RSC Twelfth Night

Christopher Luscombe’s Royal Shakespeare Company production of Twelfth Night reimagines Shakespeare’s bittersweet comedy within a lavish late-Victorian setting. Adrian Edmondson plays the arrogant Malvolio, alongside Kara Tointon as Olivia and Dinita Gohil as Viola. The production combines humour and heartbreak while exploring themes of love, disguise, and identity. Inspired partly by Queen Victoria’s relationship with Abdul Karim, Viola and Sebastian are portrayed as Indian twins stranded in nineteenth-century England, adding fresh cultural dimensions to the story. With opulent sets, lively music influenced by Gilbert and Sullivan, and strong performances throughout, the production balances theatrical spectacle with emotion and social commentary.