2000 SEASON    

Twelfth Night - Plot Summary
July 28-August 22, 2000

Orsino, Duke of Illyria, is in love with Olivia, a wealthy Countess. She, however, is in mourning for her brother and rejects him. Viola has been shipwrecked on the Illyrian coast and separated from her twin brother Sebastian, whom she fears dead. A Captain tells her about the lovelorn Duke and she decides to dress as a boy and seek employment with him. Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby Belch, does not approve of her prolonged mourning. Maria, Olivia's gentlewoman, warns him that Olivia is displeased with the behaviour of he and Sir Andrew, who is also in love with Olivia. Meanwhile, Orsino entreats Viola (now disguised as Cesaria), to woo Olivia in his name. Viola, however, reveals in an aside that "Who ever I Woo, myself would be his wife." Olivia rejects the Duke's suit, but is so charmed by the youth that she invents an excuse for giving him her ring. Meanwhile Sebastian, who has survived the storm, tells his friend Antonio of his twin sister (Viola), who he believes dead at sea. Malvolio gives Olivia's ring to Viola and she soon realizes that Olivia has fallen in love with her.

Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and Feste are carousing; Maria arrives, complaining about their "caterwauling". She is followed by Malvolio, who tells them that Olivia will evict Toby if he does not mend his ways. Once the sanctimonious steward has left, Maria suggests that they play a trick on him by faking a letter from Olivia, leading him to believe that she has fallen in love with him. Undeterred, Orsino instructs Viola to renew his suit to Olivia. He scoffs at her suggestion that a woman could be as deeply in love with him as he is with Olivia. As Sir Toby and his fellow conspirators watch from a hiding place, Malvolio comes across the letter forged by Maria. He is convinced that he is the unnamed man to whom it is addressed and resolves to follow its instructions for winning Olivia's favour.
 

Sir Andrew is offended by Olivia's favours to Cesario. Sir Toby and Fabian, another of Olivia's servants, persuade him to challenge the youth but Sir Toby, finding his letter too weak, says he will deliver the message himself verbally. Just as the reluctant duelists have drawn their swords, Antonio arrives and tries to end the dispute, he is himself arrested by some officers. Mistaking Viola for Sebastian, he asks for his money and is deeply upset when she claims not to know him.

Being mistaken as Cesario, Sebastian is ambushed by Sir Andrew. Olivia breaks up the fight and brings Sebastian into her house. Maria gets Feste to disguise himself as Sir Topas the curate. He does to Malvolio, who has been locked in a dark cellar for apparent "madness", and continues with the game.

Olivia enters with a priest and asks Sebastian to accompany her to the chapel so that they can be married. Confused, but enchanted, he agrees. While the duke and viola are waiting to see Olivia, the officers return with Antonio, who accuses Viola of gross ingratitude. Olivia compounds Viola's confusion by reproaching her for faithlessness. When the priest confirms that Olivia is Cesario's wife, even the Duke rejects Viola. Sir Andrew and a drunken Sir Toby burst in; they claim that Cesario has beaten them. The mystery is explained when Sebastian enters and he and Viola recognize each other as brother and sister. Malvolio shows Olivia the leaked letter; she guesses that it was written by Maria. Fabian explains that Maria was put up to it by Sir Toby, who has married her in recompense. Malvolio vows revenge on them all. Orsino predicts that when he sees Viola in feminine clothes, she will become "Orsino's mistress and his fancy's queen."

2000 SEASON