Shakespeare’s coastal setting of Illyria gets an unexpected treatment on the King Theatre stage during this fall’s production of Twelfth Night. The 400-year-old comedy will combine the revelry of Mardi Gras with the anachronistic technologies of the steampunk subculture. Stage manager Claire Robertson (I) says faculty director Shane Fuller wanted to include a sense of timelessness, and the aesthetics of steampunk (a subgenre of science fiction where steam is the main power source) fit the bill. Some of the 13 student-actors will play live music during the performance, adding another unique twist.
“I’m so impressed with the cast,” says Claire, a veteran stage manager with eight Milton productions under her belt. “They quickly memorized all their lines and are giving their full effort to make this a great play. And they are a lot of fun—everyone gets along so well.”
Twelfth Night opens in King Theatre on Thursday, November 1, and Friday, November 2, at 7:30 p.m., and on Saturday, November 3 at 7 p.m.
