Twelfth Night at Theatre in the Forest, Sutton Hoo
There can be few more magical settings in which to experience Shakespeare than Theatre in the Forest at Sutton Hoo. As dusk settles over the woodland and the hubbub of birdsong and picnicking theatregoers gradually gives way to music, Red Rose Chain once again proves why its annual outdoor productions have become a cherished Suffolk tradition. This year’s Twelfth Night is moving and gloriously funny – a fitting tribute to the late Joanna Carrick, whose distinctive vision for Theatre in the Forest continues is clear in this production.
Co-directed by David Newborn and Katy Latham, the production embraces everything audiences have come to expect from Red Rose Chain. Inventive staging, music, puppetry, and a genuine sense of community, while remaining wonderfully faithful to the wit and emotional depth of Shakespeare’s play.
Georgia Redgrave is warm and charming as Viola. Her performance captures both the humour and heartbreak of Shakespeare’s heroine, while as Cesario she allows Viola’s growing love for Orsino to reveal itself in fleeting glances and moments of quiet gratitude that linger just a second too long. Opposite her, Darren Latham delights in dual roles as Duke Orsino and Sir Andrew Aguecheek. His Orsino is convincingly lovesick and gloriously self-absorbed, while his
transformation into Sir Andrew is a comic masterclass. Complete with a blonde bob wig and wonderfully absurd dance moves, he delivers one of the evening’s biggest laugh-out-loud performances.
Nadia Jackson’s Olivia strikes exactly the right balance between aching mourning and sudden infatuation. It is easy to see why audiences will be seeing much more from Jackson, who is set to appear in Possession for Sky Arts later this year.
Emily Jane Kerr is exceptional as Sir Toby Belch, bringing seemingly inexhaustible energy to every entrance and exit. She skims garbled, razor-sharp asides across the audience while navigating Shakespeare’s linguistic acrobatics with remarkable clarity and comic timing. It is a performance that leaves no doubt about her considerable skill.
Among the evening’s many delights is Vincent Moisy’s magnificent Malvolio. Commanding from his first appearance, he possesses the deliciously theatrical menace of a pantomime villain without ever sacrificing emotional truth. His comic cackle, worthy of Captain Hook, gives way to genuine pathos during the infamous yellow-stockings sequence, making Malvolio by turns hilarious, heartbreaking and vengeful.
Joseph Russell proves equally entertaining, first as the delightfully camp Maria, calling from amongst the audience and flourishing a feather duster with enough theatrical flair worthy of RuPaul’s Drag Race, before returning as an open-hearted and sincere Sebastian. His versatility is one of the production’s many pleasures.
Music has always been central to Theatre in the Forest, and Alec Murray’s contributions are among the production’s highlights. Whether performing solo with guitar in hand or leading the company in rich ensemble harmonies, he creates moments of genuine stillness amid the riot of costume changes and switchbacks in the plot. The songs move effortlessly between ancient-sounding folk melodies and comic interludes, lending the production both atmosphere and emotional texture.
One of the most enchanting creations is Antonio, an exquisitely realised dog designed by puppet designer Maria Kirkman-Richards. Every detail, from the relaxed swagger of its walk to the twitch of its whiskers and the softness of its gaze, is so convincing that children and adults alike quickly forget they are watching a puppet. It is an unforgettable piece of theatrical magic.
This production succeeds not simply because it is entertaining, but because it embodies everything Joanna Carrick believed theatre could be. It is inclusive, imaginative, and rooted in community. David Newborn and Katy Latham have honoured her legacy with sensitivity and confidence, delivering a production that feels both faithful to her extraordinary vision and full of fresh energy. It is a performance Jo Carrick would surely have been immensely proud of, and one that deserves to be remembered as another triumph for Theatre in the Forest.
Reviewer: Carolyn Larkin, founder of Harry C.J. Wix, a curated destination for contemporary and local design at the Thoroughfare in Woodbridge.
Photo credits – Bill Jackson
