Twelfth Night, or What You Will (1998 TV Movie) User Reviews

Twelfth Night

[eparis2 · 8/10 · 17 August 2022]

Although this production has a comparatively complete text, some good comic bits, and a number of well-known faces, the costumes and sets were peculiar, and the acting was inconsistent.

Andrew was both pathetic and silly; Feste was the perfect fool who is not perfectly foolish; and Malvolio was so thoroughly serious that he became remarkably funny.

Olivia, Viola and Orsino were less successful. Orsino's readings were effective, but he lacked the romantic energy that makes the part believable; Viola's performance was acceptable but never electric; and Olivia overacted her way into high energy and almost out of the part.

Still, as a filmed version of a stage production, it is humorous and occasionally touching.

Video/DVD release?

[humilitas · 10/10 · 25 July 2004]

I have enjoyed Helen Hunt in numerous productions and liked Paul Rudd in "Clueless", but was quite unprepared for their transformation in this lovely rendition. The staging, music, and direction all conspired to make this one of the most enjoyable productions I have seen.

When it was broadcast on PBS I taped it more as a matter of course than anything else, having no idea what a mesmerising and alluring production it would be of one of my favourite plays. Since then I have been jealously guarding my increasingly decrepit tape from the predations of my friends, and hoping against hope that it might be released on DVD or at least videotape so I could have a more enduring copy (and so could my friends). Any chance that will happen?

Wonderful

[amze · 10/10 · 13 October 1998]

I was very excited to see that Twelfth Night was being broadcast on our local PBS station, especially since I had the pleasure of seeing it live in New York City over the summer. I was truly impressed by ALL the performances and was excited to see some "lost" actors from other favorites of mine (i.e. Warriors).

I am a true follower of Helen Hunt and was quite surprised to watch the Season Premiere of Mad About You and recognize some of the actors from the play.

Twelfth Night was a nice introduction of Shakespeare and has aroused my curiosity for other plays. Thanks for the space!

A delightful and perfectly cast stage production

[Lainey · 10/10 · 19 October 1998]

Nicholas Hytner's production of "Twelfth Night" was performed in the summer of '98 at Lincoln Center in New York. I was lucky enough to see the play (from the front row), and it was spellbinding. The TV version (broadcast on PBS' "Live From Lincoln Center") was just as magical. It's a very funny play, and the incredible lighting, sets and music (especially Feste's songs) make it an experience I'll always remember.

Awesome talent performing a hard play

[bobthedramadork · 10/10 · 4 September 2005]

I thought this was a wonderful performance. The set was rather lacking but some how that added to it and let your imagination run.

I enjoyed the acting. When I first saw this I had never read the script and yet I understood everything the actors were saying (because let's face it...Shakespeare is hard to understand and perform).

Helen Hunt's performance as Viola amazed me. She was very well into character and even added humor to her part without over doing it or not doing it enough. Kudo's to her. My same comment to all the other actors in the cast. They did a great job with their performance (and even though it was Shakespeare I went "wow") but Helen Hunt seemed to stand out.

I give the entire performance 9.5/10 but I thought this was one of the best Shakespeare performances I ever have seen.

My Favourite Twelth Night -please release DVD

[elk-708-230839 · 10/10 · 10 April 2010]

I found Helen Hunt BRILLIANT. Her delivery and facial expressions brought a comic subtlety that has outshone the 4 other actresses I have seen playing the role. I loved who she presented herself- arms outstretched -with "I am all the daughters of my house" after telling of her "sister's" love for a man very much like Orsino then emotionally collapsing with "and all the brothers too" giving a new double meaning. There were lots of subtle comic touches throughout that I had never seen before. eg Duke Orsino saying to Sebastian "Your master quits you" with Sebastian gesturing his head to Viola and then Orsino less certain repeating it and Viola nodding.

I LOVED this production and really hope it is brought out on DVD.

Natural, Joyful Production

[GypsiB · 10/10 · 18 May 2018]

THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2018 Twelfth Night (Live From Lincoln Center) Twelfth Night (Live From Lincoln Center) 1998 5/5 stars

This is a tale of twins, Viola (Helen Hunt) and Sebastian (Rick Stear), who are separated by a shipwreck. Viola disguises herself as a man (Cesario) and becomes an attendant to Duke Orsino (Paul Rudd), with whom she falls in love. He loves Olivia (Kyra Sedgwick), who in turn falls in love with Cesario. The plot is further complicated when Malvolio (Philip Bosco), Olivia's steward, is tricked into believing that she is in love with him.

This production is superb, played naturally and with joy and verve, emphasizing the humor of the play. Hunt and Rudd have good chemistry, adding spice to their relationship. Bosco is wonderful as Malvolio, playing comedy and drama with equal skill. David Patrick Kelly made an entertaining fool (Feste). The best performances were from Brian Murray (as Sir Toby Belch) and Max Wright (as Sir Andrew Aguecheek); their comic timing, expressions, and gestures were perfection.

My only complaint is with the play itself: so many subplots have to be tied up in the last act that it feels unwieldy at times. This was handled well by the director (Nicholas Hytner), so that it wrapped up smoothly.

Absolutely wonderful!

[DanaMulder · 15 February 1999]

I was delighted to see "Twelfth Night" broadcast on PBS, since I got the opportunity to see this play performed live over the summer. I thought it was an excellent production! While this was not my first introduction to Shakespeare, in my opinion the actors and everyone involved worked very hard to bring the audience into the play and make sure they didn't get lost. Their hard work really payed off. I must admit that I am a huge fan of Helen Hunt's, not to mention Kyra Sedgewick and Paul Rudd, so this made the play even more exciting to watch. I enjoyed the season premiere of "Mad About You", thrilled to see some of the actors from "Twelfth Night" making cameos. All in all, I thought that this was an exceptionally well-done production, and although it's no longer running, is a must-see!

Helen Hunt fails to be humorous.

[jmott · 6/10 · 8 September 2000]

Creatively relocated to the orient, this Illyria stage comes across fairly well on screen. However, one of Shakespeare's meatiest female roles, Viola, is flaccidly and awkwardly occupied by Helen Hunt. Ms. Hunt, although very good in films such as "As Good As it Gets," simply stumbles on the language, allowing it to completely overwhelm any humor or drama that might eke out of her performance. This is a very mature comedy, the holiday of Twelfth Night itself a metaphor for the humor in the play that eventually sates and then sickens the audience. I recommend the recent film version starring Ben Kingsley and Helena Bonham Carter for a first-time viewing of Twelfth Night. After all, there is only one first time.

Joyful Twelfth Night

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 13 August 2021]

Have appreciated Shakespeare's work for a long time. 'Twelfth Night' was one of my first Shakespeare plays. Actually along with 'Macbeth' it was the play that introduced me to and got me into his plays, through reading the text out loud in English class, while analysing the language as we went along. As a young adult, it's still one of my favourites of his. The story is complicated but lots of fun and charming, it has heart, memorable characters and moments and a lot of quotable lines.

There are a lot of very worthy and even brilliant productions of 'Twelfth Night'. Personally haven't actually seen a bad one, even if there are productions that do things differently (including a female Malvolio in one production that was done brilliantly) and don't completely succeed (including the Royal Shakespeare Company expanding Viola's role at the expense of Feste). This one for me is one of the best versions, it's just so exuberant and joyful and such a much needed breath of fresh air during such a depressing time.

Everything is executed beautifully. The costumes are neither old-fashioned or trashy, there is a sense of period with the scenery and handsomely done at that. It's beautifully shot too, it's expansive enough without being overblown and has intimacy without being claustrophobic. The direction by Nicholas Hytner is always tasteful, with no gratuitous touches or gimmicks, and traditional without being stuffy. There may not be an awful lot innovative here, but that doesn't matter with this amount of exuberance, keen eye for character interaction and respect for the text.

Shakespeare's text is typically wonderful and poetic. The comedy in the production is constantly very funny to hilarious, with nothing feeling forced or overdone. Yet the heart of the play is also far from lost or forgotten, there is actually a lot of it and it is handled very touchingly thanks to Olivia not being passive or underwritten and the beautiful chemistry between Helen Hunt and Paul Rudd.

All the performances are terrific with no exception, with Hunt a very committed and at her best enchanting Viola and Rudd a dashing and noble Orsino. Kyra Sedgwick's Olivia is very moving, while the Malvolio of Phillip Bosco is amusing yet also suitably pitiful, without being too much of an idiot. Brian Murray is riotously funny as Sir Toby and doesn't overplay or mug.

In conclusion, a joy of a 'Twelfth Night'. 10/10.

Couldn't forget Helen Hunt...

[qleaper · 2/10 · 11 December 1999]

I was very happy to go see the play in person at Lincoln Center, and was extremely disappointed in Helen Hunt, who had just received the Academy Award for As Good As It Gets. The simple fact was, I couldn't forget that I was seeing Helen Hunt, the actress, instead of Viola, the shipwreck survivor who, while cross-dressing and passing for her twin brother, falls in love with Count Orsino, who is in turn in love with Lady Olivia. Despite good performances by Kyra Sedgwick, Paul Rudd and the always interesting Philip Bosco, I'd rather watch the 1996 movie "Twelfth Night: or What you Will", starring the wonderful Imogen Stubbs in the role of Viola, and Helena Bonham Carter as Olivia (plus the bonus performance of Ben Kingsley as Feste!).

Helen, stick to fluffy stuff

[MoonsofJupiter · 14 December 2002]

We won't go into the screenplay here...we're talking Shakespeare, after all. Now, the sets were very sparse, but then, this was live theater. So what can you criticise? The casting!!!

Paul Rudd is wonderful, just masculine and sexy and totally at ease with his dialogue and his role. I couldn't take my eyes off him when he was present, and missed him tremendously when he wasn't on stage.

But Helen Hunt? Whose idea was it to cast this brittle, TV-groomed actress in such a demanding role? The poor woman doesn't pull it off. She seemed to stamp around the stage like she was lost, that terrible wondering frown on her face making it look like she was trying to keep her lines straight. The magnificent Mr. Rudd looking twice at the asexual Miss Hunt? I don't think so. Their mismatching ruined what would have been a great presentation of this classic.

I'd still watch it again, though, for Paul Rudd.