Tweltfh Night, or what you will

I was granted the opportunity to see in its entirety the BBC's adaptation of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. I loved it. The story follows a set of orphaned twins, Viola and Sebastian, whose remarkable likeness to each other is the chief entertainment for their companions on their shipboard journey home. A storm comes and sinks their vessel, separating brother from sister, and each, believing the other to be dead, sets about making a new life in this foreign land, where Count Orsino rules and will have no woman come before him but the fair Olivia, who will none of his love. Thus, Viola shears off her hair and sheds her maidenly garments and becomes the slightly effeminate youth Cesario, who is no sooner met with the Count Orsino than she becomes his closest companion and is sent to woo the grieving Olivia into the Count's arms. When Olivia meets young Cesario, she is taken by 'his' youth, wit, good looks, cheek, and his lack of noble rank, for Olivia swears she will never marry above her station, that of a humble gentlewoman. Viola is taken aback when she learns of Olivia's love for her, but continues to woo Olivia for Orsino, whose love she would have herself if she could but throw off the guise of Cesario. Meanwhile, Sebastian makes his way to the lord of the land, Count Orsino, to seek work and a living, and is met with the usual delaying hardships along the way, until at last he comes to the fair Olivia's house. Olivia, having shed her cloth of mourning and sweetly begging Cesario to take of her love only to be kindly yet forcefully rebuffed, falls upon Sebastian and, believing him to be Cesario, is relieved beyond measure when he requites her love and binds it up in a holy band with her. Then is Orsino come to Viola's house with Cesario in tow to correct some slight. There Olivia meets Orsino, there she denies his offer all the while trying to speak with Cesario, whom she finally calls Husband. Orsino is shocked and saddened, but will not strike Cesario, while Cesario 'himself' is shocked to have such an outrageous claim laid at 'his' feet. Then out comes Sebastian, the twins meet, Viola sheds her manly costume, and it ends happily for all.

The play itself was a great read, and now that I have had the privilege of seeing it acted out, I love it all the more. One claim I can make of the BBC's adaptations of books and plays is that they are always faithful to the original text, and always do justice to the marvelous works they adapt. I would very much like to own this happy gem.