Valerie armstrong, peter beamish, david burke, trevor nunn. A scene that i believe failed to make its original point because of the traditional casting choice in the trevor nunn film version of the play, was the scene where malvolio addresses olivia about the letter. Twelfth night is a 1996 britishamericanirish film adaptation of william shakespeares play, directed by trevor nunn and featuring an allstar cast. Adaptations of shakespeares plays and other works have been featured in nearly 500 films andor videos worldwide.
Oct 25, 1996 directed by trevor nunn comedy, drama, romance. Imogen stubbs, steven mackintosh, nicholas farrell. This is the premise of one of william shakespeares most appealing comedies, twelfth night. Nunns vision of twelfth night, however, is comparable to a jane austen romance as what his characters experience is real love, whereas in branaghs version like others show orsinos love for olivia is possessive. Shakespeares comedy of gender confusion, in which a girl disguises herself as a man to be near the count she adores, only to be pursued by the woman he loves. This film struggles from uneven performances, though the. I thought that it was sure to be a winning combination, so i had very high expectations as i sat down to watch it with my sister. Or, what you will trevor nunns popular 1996 film stars imogen stubbs viola, helena bonham carter olivia, and ben kingsley feste.
Trevor nunns interprtation of twelfth night to shakespeare. Trevor nunn, english theater director who, as artistic director of the royal shakespeare company 196886 and the royal national theatre 19972003, was known for his innovative stagings of shakespeares works and commercially successful productions of popular musicals. Twelfth night, or what you will is a romantic comedy by william shakespeare. Aug 04, 2018 twelfth night also known as twelfth night.
Directors use film adaptations to enhance the writers intended meaning hidden in the original text, however, trevor nunn altered the. Trevor nunns new film version of twelfth night, a lighthearted comedy of romance and gender confusion, creates a romantic triangle out of the same sorts of mistaken sexual identities that inspired some like it hot. William shakespeares twelfth night is a masterful meditation on the comic and tragic effects of fluid emotions such as infatuation, ecstasy, and intoxication trevor nunns twelfth night, on the other hand, is a confused mess that so utterly misses the intent and tone of the original work, i struggle to conceive of a worse adaption. Mar 06, 2012 i love twelfth night and i love trevor nunn, so i was very excited to see this movie. Trevor nunn s new film version of twelfth night, a lighthearted comedy of romance and gender confusion, creates a romantic triangle out of the same sorts of mistaken sexual identities that inspired some like it hot. Or what you will is a 1996 british film adaptation of william shakespeares play, directed by trevor nunn and featuring an allstar cast. Trevor nunns artistic upbringing in the royal shakespeare company 18 years as artistic director surprisingly did not include directing twelfth night. Get the knowledge you need in order to pass your classes and more. You can watch twelfth night online on videoondemand services netflix, hbo now, paytv or movie theatres with original audio in english. That makes shakespeare the most filmed playwright of all time. And nunn directs it in something of the same spirit.
Twelfth night or what you will film by nunn 1996 britannica. Nunn s vision of twelfth night, however, is comparable to a jane austen romance as what his characters experience is real love, whereas in branaghs version like others show orsinos love for olivia is possessive. Aug 04, 20 after a surviving a disaster at sea, viola, in a foreign land, disguises herself as her identical brother, and becomes the gobetween for the lovelorn count orsino and disinterested lady olivia. Dominick, cornwall, england, uk quayside taverninterior of orsinos castle lanhydrock house. Trevor nunns 1996 film of twelfth night offers a warm embrace for a good while, endearing itself swiftly and gamely, without seeming overzealous. Winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Apr 19, 2011 trevor nunns 1996 film adaptation of shakespeares twelfth night takes several interesting liberties with stage direction. Tobys for maria is a matter of casual, drunk conveniency. It is beautifully filmed and not only immensely enjoyable for people who know and love shakespeare but a marvellous introduction to him for children. This handsomely mounted version of shakespeares beloved screwball comedy suggests he should lower himself to. After a surviving a disaster at sea, viola, in a foreign land, disguises herself as her identical brother, and becomes the gobetween for the lovelorn count orsino and disinterested lady olivia.
Nunns vision of twelfth night, however, is comparable to a jane austen romance as what his characters experience is real love, whereas in branaghs version like others show orsinos love for olivia is possessiveand selfindulgent. Twelfth night by trevor nunn screen play 1687 words. Or what you will is a 1996 britishamericanirish film adaptation of william shakespeares play, directed by trevor nunn and featuring an allstar cast. Come browse our large digital warehouse of free sample essays. This handsomely mounted version of shakespeares beloved screwball comedy suggests he should lower himself to celluloid adaptations more often. Twelfth night, or what you will tv movie 1988 imdb.
The 1996 film adapted and directed by trevor nunn and set in the 19th century, stars imogen stubbs as viola, helena bonham carter as olivia and toby stephens as duke orsino. During these years, there had been a dozen macbeths, a fistful of hamlets, and more romeo and juliets than you can shake a codpiece at. In the twelfth night film directed by trevor nunn, there. Twelfth night is an ok shakespeare adaptation, a handsome, agreeably performed rendition that fails to ignite much laughter or any real emotion. It is one of the best interpretations of shakespeare that i have seen on. Set in a hardyesque english countryside, circa 1890, this starts boldly with a shipwreck and scenesetting voiceover from kingsleys.
A shipwreck separates viola imogen stubbs from her twin brother, sebastian steven mackintosh. Nunns film succeeds beautifully in its chosen course. I liked this film, but i wanted it to go a little further. Dominick, cornwall, england, uk quayside taverninterior of orsinos castle lanhydrock. Nunns twelfth night, with its classic theatricality and its use of cinematic invention in the service of the text, is a film that may serve as an impetus for such explorations. Set in the late 19th century, it was filmed on location in cornwall, including scenes shot at padstow and at lanhydrock house near bodmin, with orsino and his followers wearing uniforms that evoke. Twelfth night or what you will 1996 official trailer ben kingsley. William shakespeare and trevor nunn screen play genres. The twins sing hey ho the wind and the rain during a howling.
Theres something verboten in illyria the new york times. In the twelfth night film directed by trevor nunn, there are differences between the sequencing of the scenes, lines of characters, and character stage directionsmovements compared to the original text. Believing him to be dead, viola disguises herself as a boy and goes to work for duke orsino toby. Cartoon shakespeare offers twelfth night the comic book by artist john howard.
Twelfth night is a classic shakespeare play that has been turned into a big screen film by english theatre director, trevor nunn. Trevor nunn, a former artistic director of the royal shakespeare company, begins twelfth night modernized to the late victorian era with a nontextual prologue, showing viola and sebastian as a sisterbrother vaudeville team providing campy entertainment aboard ship. The allmale comedic aspect of the play is something the trevor nunn film version of the play missed with the choice of a traditional cast. In 2002 he was made commander of the order of the british empire cbe in recognition of his services to theatre. Twelfth night film adaptation by trevor nunn lavar ball medium. Film bends genders but not shakespeare nunns wistful. Trevor nunn was born on january 14, 1940 in ipswich, suffolk, england as trevor robert nunn. Twelfth night or what you will 1996 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Twelfth night is a film directed by trevor nunn with helena bonham carter, richard e. About every decade, accomplished british theater director trevor nunn takes a break from the stage for a foray into filmmaking, and twelfth night is his project for the 1990s. Trevor nunn obviously worked really hard to make sure this worked as a film in its own right, not just the play welded to the cinema.
Twelfth night, or what you will introduction shmoop. Surprisingly, nunn has never directed twelfth night in the theatre. Twelfth night 1996 trevor nunn, helena bonham carter, richard e. Or what you will 1996 directed by trevor nunn is a direct film adaptation of shakespeares play. In terms of production values, i may just prefer the 1980 version and the autumnal feel of nunns film, but the melancholic atmosphere added a whole new dimension to the play that in my opinion nunns lacked. Set in the late 19th century, it was filmed on location in cornwall. This is a british star studded cast production of shakespeare s twelfth night directed by trevor nunn and the best you could see. Here are the best, and most noteworthy, versions of twelfth night that can help you study and better understand the play. Or what you will, updated from elizabethan england to late 19th century and brought to life by director trevor nunn. This adaptation is set in the victorian era and emphasizes the comedy of the plays many plot twists and misunderstandings. Twelfth night or what you will 1996 video detective. Trevor nunns 1996 film adaptation of shakespeares twelfth night takes several interesting liberties with stage direction. Trevor nunns film is also good, very well made with a great cast, and the 1987 australia version is good if very hard to find. Through about the first half, i found myself asking why more filmmakers eager to adapt shakespeare dont opt for the comedies, since verbal wit and farcical ploys are often better served by the screen than are long, poetic exegeses of complex moral.
Twelfth night trevor nunn, helena bonhamcarter, imogen. The film was directed by andy fickman and stars amanda bynes and channing tatum. Trevor nunn and his adaptation of twelfth night isaac quentin. Reading trevor nunns thoughts on his film, it is easy to conclude that they were lucky to obtain such sublime weather for the large duration of the filming. When it was over, she announced that she liked it better than kenneth branaghs twelfth night, and despite a couple of reservations, i think i have to agree with her. Twelfth night critics consensus director trevor nunn makes some questionable choices, but his stellar cast which includes helena bonhamcarter, ben kingsley, and nigel hawthorne more than. Trevor nunns new film version of twelfth night, a lighthearted comedy of romance and gender confusion, creates a romantic triangle out of.
Meanwhile olivia is taken with viola who calls herself cesario. Grant, imogen stubbs january 6, 2020 brother and sister viola and sebastian, who are not only very close but look a great deal alike, are in a shipwreck, and both think the other dead. Twelfth night one of william shakespeares most wild and raucous romantic. Twelfth night or what you will 1996 official trailer ben kingsley, helena bonham carter movie hd shakespeares comedy of gender. Nunn directed a modern production of shakespeares hamlet in 2004, which starred ben whishaw in the title role, and imogen stubbs as gertrude, and was staged at the old vic theatre in london. Other articles where twelfth night or what you will is discussed. I love twelfth night and i love trevor nunn, so i was very excited to see this movie. He was previously married to imogen stubbs, sharon lee hill and janet suzman. This movie has been premiered in australian hd theatres in 1996 movies 1996. Stubbs often appears in his productions, including the 1996 twelfth night film. Overall i think i prefer the interpretation that kenneth branaghs renaissance theatre company gave twelfth night in the 1988 tv play, though i had some problems with that which thankfully, nunn s adaptation corrects.
Read this essay on trevor nunns interprtation of twelfth night to shakespeare. Gender identity in twelfth night free essay example. Twelfth night 1996 trevor nunn, helena bonham carter. Trevor nunns energetic 1996 tilt at this noisy, affectionate tale shows that a lush, fullbore screen treatment of twelfth night was long overdue. Adrian nobles disappointing new film, a version of his successful stage production of a midsummer nights dream, suggests that when the going gets tough, it might sometimes be better simply to give up.
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