Top stand-up comic SEANN WALSH made his stage debut yesterday - June 21st - as Stafford’s annual Shakespeare production TWELFTH NIGHT: A Cornish Tale opened at the Gatehouse Theatre.
An entire Cornwall fishing village – complete with working pub - has been recreated at the venue for this year’s showpiece event also starring BAFTA winner Molly Windsor and Netflix star Natalie Anderson.
Large elements of the scenery have been built with the help of recycled material fresh from the beaches of Cornwall and Devon, after the theatre formed a ground-breaking partnership with Keep Britain Tidy’s Ocean Recovery Project.
Seann, who plays Malvolio, said: ‘I’m having so much fun – it’s an amazing production, with a wonderful cast and a superb team of creatives. It’s a story that’s been around for 400 years and here we are still telling it!
‘It’s a wonderful thing and I’m really excited to be a part of it.’
Molly Windsor, who plays Viola, said: ‘Seann’s amazing – he’s really brought the character to life and the part fits him like a glove. Or maybe a stocking!’
Rehearsals have been in full swing for several weeks and the show’s in-house band Evolution of Fishermen, who have composed music for the production, have been popping up to perform at pubs and clubs around the town.
Gatehouse Theatre general manager Gary Stevens said: ‘Tickets have been selling well and it’s great to see so many people looking forward to this hilarious play.’
The Bard’s story begins with a dramatic shipwreck, which leads to a comic tale of mistaken identity, love, laughter and longing – all set in 1950s Cornwall.
Director Sean Turner, who also oversaw last year’s record-breaking A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, said: ‘Twelfth Night is one of the greatest works of art ever created; a masterpiece that balances tragedy and comedy in unnervingly perfect measure. It is a tale that has captivated audiences for over four centuries with its rich tapestry of mistaken identities, unrequited love and human folly.’
TWELFTH NIGHT: A Cornish Tale runs from June 21 to July 7 and will be the 32nd Stafford Shakespeare production, with the first being HENRY V at Stafford Castle in 1991.
Last year, the event was moved to the Gatehouse Theatre where it achieved a record audience for a drama at the venue, with more than 5,000 people attending.
Tickets for this year’s production are available now, starting from just £23.00. Call the Box Office on 01785 619080 for details or visit www.gatehousetheatre.co.uk to book.
Twelfth Night (June 21 – July 7)
Directed by: Sean Turner
Musical Director: Stephen Hyde
Movement Direction: Amy Lawrence
Set & Costume Designer: Alfie Heywood
Lighting Design: Barry Smith
Sound Design: Hattie North
