'Twelfth Night' at the National Theatre

Last night we got return tickets to see the new production of 'Twelfth Night' directed by Peter Hall at the Cottesloe Theatre in the National Theatre. It's one of those productions where the tickets sold out to members before they went on general sale so we were lucky to get tickets at all. Or so I thought.

'Twelfth Night' is one of Shakespeare's daft plays about mistaken identity, about shipwrecked siblings who are so alike that no-one can tell the difference, and that's where the fun starts. But it takes a long time for the fun to start. There is the pretty lady that everyone loves, the drunken comic figures, the fool and, of course, the noble duke who, unfortunately sported a mullet hair-do. O dear.

The opening scene made me wary, with the Duke lounging around and his courtiers all in doublets and hose, with lace collars and awful lank-haired wigs. I know it's superficial of me, but I really didn't like the costumes and wigs. We then meet Viola in a dress who becomes the youth, Cesario, in a red doublet and hose affair, who joins the court of the Duke and quickly becomes a favourite and is sent to woo the beautiful lady on his behalf. We meet Sir Toby Belch and yes, the name says it all for the drunken cousin of the lady, his friend Sir Andrew Aguecheek, the servant Maria and the steward Malvolio. It's a relatively large cast with some interesting characters and that, in part, keeps the momentum going forward. It should be a roaring success but I was sorely disappointed.

Simon Callow played Sir Toby and much as I enjoyed his performance his drunken scenes were difficult to follow - enunciation, Sir Toby, enunciation, even when you're drunk. But the main problem was Rebecca Hall (Sir Peter's daughter) who played Viola/Cesario. Considering that the costumes are all period and everyone acts in period mode, she acted like she was in 'Glee' and would do the W ('whatever') sign any moment. Her sing-song delivery, talking with a cynical teenage laughing voice throughout, with her head tilted to one side really made her stand out, but for all the wrong reasons. Why her acting style was so different to the rest of the cast is anyone's guess, but it didn't work. I was sorely tempted to leave at half time (after my pre-ordered glass of Merlot, of course) but stuck through to the end.

There were some highlights, and I'd single out Charles Edwards as the daft knight Sir Andrew, the coward and braggart who brings much joy and levity. I also liked Finty Williams as Maria, the lady's bawdy servant who got the balance between servility and dirty humour spot on - I think I'd like her Maria as a chum. For the rest, I think I could leave it and not worry. I wouldn't dream of seeing it again.

Hint to future producers of 'Twelfth Night': make sure your siblings wear matching wigs as well as clothes to make them identical.