Twelfth Night at Theatr Clwyd Review: A Bold Queer Reimagining of Shakespeare's Comedy

Shakespeare's comedies have long provided fertile ground for radical reinterpretation, and director Juliette Manon's new production of Twelfth Night at Theatr Clwyd in Mold, North Wales, takes that tradition and runs with it. This bold, contemporary staging reimagines the Bard's beloved comedy as a queer escapade, placing identity, desire and delicious mischief centre stage. The result is a production brimming with ambition and visual flair, anchored by some exceptional performances, though it occasionally struggles to weave all its threads into a fully unified whole.

The production, which will transfer to Cardiff's Sherman Theatre, represents a significant artistic statement about Shakespeare's enduring relevance to modern conversations around gender and sexuality. For anyone interested in how classical theatre continues to evolve, this is a staging worth paying attention to.

A Queer Reimagining That Puts Identity Front and Centre

Where many productions of Twelfth Night allow queerness to shimmer just beneath the surface of the text, Manon's direction brings it firmly into the spotlight. The most significant creative choice is the reimagining of Viola's journey through the character of Cesario, played by Lee Braithwaite, as explicitly trans. Rather than treating Viola's disguise as a simple plot mechanism, this production uses it to explore the lived experience of gender identity with genuine depth and sensitivity.

Alongside this, the relationship between Sebastian and Antonio is given fuller expression, moving beyond the hints in Shakespeare's text to present a more openly queer connection. These choices are conceptually rich and often visually striking, giving the production a distinctive identity that sets it apart from more conventional stagings. However, the density of ideas at play means the production occasionally risks losing its audience. There are moments where the conceptual ambition outpaces the emotional clarity that Shakespeare's storytelling demands, and the resulting chaos extends beyond the romantic confusions that drive the plot.

Standout Performances Anchor the Production

The production finds its most compelling moments through its central performances. Braithwaite delivers what can only be described as a masterclass, bringing magnetic charm and emotional honesty to a role that could easily become overwhelmed by the weight of its conceptual framework. Instead, Braithwaite allows the character to breathe, grounding the performance in genuine feeling while navigating the character's complexities with impressive ease. It is the kind of performance that makes the audience forget they are watching an interpretation and simply believe in the person on stage.

Bethan Rose Young proves an equally strong presence as Countess Olivia, and the scenes between her and Braithwaite represent the production's emotional high points. Young captures Olivia's transformation from grief-stricken mourner to besotted lover with a naturalness that serves both the comedy and the heart of the story.

The ensemble embraces the play's more raucous elements with gusto. A particular standout is Lucy Ellinson's gender-swapped Lady Toby Belch, a gleefully anarchic presence who plots to humiliate the household's priggish manservant. That manservant, Malvolio, is brilliantly realised by Phylip Harries, who makes a gold-sequinned suit into the stuff of pure theatrical spectacle. The gulling of Malvolio remains one of Shakespeare's most reliable comic set pieces, and this production delivers it with real relish. Arwel Gruffydd also contributes ethereal vocals that add an otherworldly quality to the proceedings, lending the production a sense of dreamlike beauty in its quieter passages.

Design That Evolves with the Story

Cai Dyfan's set design proves to be one of the production's greatest assets. The stage creates a contemporary version of Illyria that feels both specific and adaptable, centred around a chandelier and a shallow pool of water. While the core structure remains constant, the way it is inhabited and transformed throughout the performance keeps the visual landscape dynamic and surprising. It is a clever solution that allows the production to shift tone and location without heavy scenic changes, maintaining momentum throughout.

Equally effective is Eamonn O'Dwyer's sound design, which establishes atmosphere from the very first moments. The musical elements are delicate and precisely placed, supporting the play's more whimsical and romantic edges without ever threatening to overwhelm the text. It is the kind of sound design that works almost subliminally, creating emotional texture that the audience feels rather than consciously registers.

Ambitious Vision, Beautiful Fragments

If there is a criticism to be levelled at this Twelfth Night, it is that its many ambitious ideas do not always coalesce into a seamless whole. The production is at its strongest when it trusts the emotional core of Shakespeare's story, allowing the comedy of mistaken identity and the ache of unrequited love to do their work within the contemporary framework. When the staging adds too many conceptual layers simultaneously, the emotional throughline can become diffused, and moments that should land with clarity occasionally feel muddied.

That said, there is something genuinely admirable about a production that dares to take risks with material this well-known. Manon and her company clearly believe in the relevance of this reading, and their commitment is evident in every aspect of the staging. The queer reimagining is never tokenistic or superficial. It grows organically from the text's own preoccupations with disguise, desire, and the fluid nature of identity. Even in the moments where the production's reach exceeds its grasp, there is a vitality and generosity of spirit that makes for an engaging evening of theatre.

The production has been aptly compared to sea-glass: smoothed by time, beautiful in fragments. That metaphor captures both its strengths and its limitations. Individual moments sparkle with real theatrical magic, from Braithwaite's quietly devastating performance to the riotous comedy of the Malvolio subplot, even if the overall shape does not always feel entirely resolved.

Should You Book?

For anyone with an interest in how Shakespeare's works continue to speak to contemporary audiences, this Twelfth Night represents a genuinely worthwhile experience. The performances alone, particularly from Lee Braithwaite and Bethan Rose Young, justify the trip, and the production's visual and sonic world is consistently engaging. Audiences who relish traditional readings may find the density of the reinterpretation occasionally challenging, but those open to a fresh perspective on a familiar comedy will find much to admire and enjoy.

The production is currently playing at Theatr Clwyd in Mold before transferring to the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff, making it accessible to audiences across Wales. If you are in the area, it is well worth an evening of your time.

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