REVIEW: TWELFTH NIGHT @ THE ACTORS CHURCH

🎭 Twelfth Night

📍 The Actors Church, Bedford Street, London, WC2E 9ED

🗓 Thursday 9th July 2026

⭐️ 4 Stars

JOYFUL SUMMER SHAKESPEARE

There’s something rather magical about watching TWELFTH NIGHT outdoors on a warm summer’s evening, and St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden makes the perfect backdrop — complete with roses, colourful bunting and fairy lights.

It took me a little while to tune into Shakespeare (it always does), and to block out the sounds of Covent Garden’s street performers and their music drifting over the church walls, but after about fifteen minutes I was immersed.

For me, this Nonsense Theatre adaptation struck a lovely balance between respecting Shakespeare’s text and gently poking fun at it. The script stayed largely traditional (from memory), but the performances brought it to life through physical comedy, knowing glances to the audience, well-timed exclamations and perfectly judged modern references. Duke Orsino unexpectedly breaking into Taylor Swift’s ‘Love Story’ was a particular highlight, and the joyous Pink Pony Club (switched to Inn) finale had the audience leaving on a high.

The standout performances came from Jed McLoughlin, whose Sir Andrew Aguecheek was delightful. Trotting around with coconut shells as a makeshift horse, he somehow made the character both gloriously ridiculous and genuinely lovable. His Sebastian was equally strong, especially in scenes with Antonio. Their relationship was played with wit and humour.

The actress who played Antonio (Chloe Orrock) also played Malvolia. She was another standout for me; the gender swap of Malvolio modernised the role without feeling gimmicky, and her yellow stocking reveal was one of the funniest moments of the evening. Daniel Brindley as Duke Orsino also deserves a mention, particularly for his wonderfully comic reaction to discovering that Cesario was, in fact, a woman.

What I appreciated most was that the production didn’t rely on changing Shakespeare — it found the comedy in the spaces around the lines. Moments such as Sebastian confidently pointing out how remarkably alike he and his twin looked, despite being played by actors who looked nothing alike, were simple but hilarious. Those little additions and the interactions the audience throughout, gave a familiar story a subtle but refreshing new lease of life.

The audience were engaged throughout, and although the comedy stayed front and centre, it never felt as though the production was laughing at Shakespeare. If anything, it made the play feel more accessible, and I left feeling I’d understood and enjoyed the story more than I had before.

That said, a few lines were lost because they were difficult to hear over the hubbub coming from Covent Garden, and parts of the first half felt a little long. The advertised finish time also underestimated the running time by around forty minutes, which is worth bearing in mind if you’re planning your journey home or thinking of eating afterwards.

Overall, this was a joyful, inventive and thoroughly entertaining production that proved Shakespeare doesn’t need radical reinvention to feel fresh. Sometimes all it takes is a talented cast, a few modern touches and the confidence to have a bit of fun and a laugh.

Estelle Luck

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair, and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of Twelfth Night was gifted by Nonsense Theatre, who invited me to watch the show on behalf of Pink Prince Theatre in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST LIST:

Daniel Brindley as Duke Orsino; Niamh Handley-Vaughan as Maria; Cara Heal as Viola; Kitty Mason as Ser Tobi Belch; Jed McLoughlin as Sebastian and Sir Andrew Aguecheek; Rebekah Nicols as Feste; Chloe Orrock as Malvolia and Antonia; Jericho Taylor as Olivia

RUNNING TIME (approx):

2 hours 55 minutes, including interval

To keep up to date with all the latest theatre news and more, follow Pink Prince Theatre on social media.

Find us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.