Midsummer Magazine 2007 - Utah Shakespearean Festival

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June 21–September 1Adams Shakespearean TheatreTwelfthNight:This IsIllyria, LadyBy Michael FlachmannFOR SHAKESPEARE’S MAJORcharacters, geography often leadsto destiny. In A Midsummer Night’sDream and Cymbeline, for example, thelovers’ journey to the woods helps liberatethem from patriarchal and societal restrictionsso they can mature and prosper, whileDesdemona’s sea voyage from the sophisticationof Venice to the male-dominated,claustrophobic, and licentious world ofCyprus helps doom her precarious relationshipwith Othello. In the same manner, thephysical location of Twelfth Night in Illyriaoffers some crucial clues to an attentiveaudience about the dramatic world of thisbeloved comedy.Oddly, modern scholarship has been oflittle help in decoding the relevance ofKieran Connolly (left) as Sir John Falstaff andRiley Griffiths as Robin in The Merry Wivesof Windsor, 2006
“place” to “play” as far as Illyria is concerned.Generally dismissed as a “mythical”or “fantastical” locale, its importancein Twelfth Night may be summarized bythe following assertion from Isaac Asimov,who echoes the opinion of many othercritics when he says that “we need not beoverconcerned with actual geography” inTwelfth Night, since “Shakespeare’s Illyria,like his seacoast of Bohemia in The Winter’sTale and his Forest of Arden in As You LikeIt, really exists nowhere but in the play.”On the contrary, however,Shakespeare’s choice of Illyria as the settingfor Twelfth Night eloquently revealsthe playwright’s purpose in selecting suchan offbeat and infrequently traveled milieufor his script. Although Illyria was a reallifelocation during Shakespeare’s time inthe western part of the Balkan Peninsula,which today comprises much of Yugoslaviaon the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea,the great allure of this scenic location canbe summed up in a single word: pirates!Orsino refers contemptuously to Antonioas a “notable pirate” and a “saltwater thief”and asks “What foolish boldness broughtthee to their mercies / Whom thou interms so bloody and so dear / Hast madethine enemies” (5.1.57–60). The only otherreference to Illyria in Shakespeare’s playsoccurs in Henry VI Part Two, where Suffolkrebukes the Lieutenant as more threateningthan “Bargulus, the strong Illyrian pirate”(4.1.108), thereby con-firming the associationbetween piracy and Illyria in theminds of Shakespeare’saudience.This relationship between piratesand the Balkans dates back to at least250 B.C., when tribes like the Ardriaiiand Antariates preyed on Greek colonistson the eastern coast of the Adriatic andaround such neighboring islands as Pharosand Corfu. Impatient with this disruptionin their trade routes, the Romans duringthe Illyrian Wars of 229 B.C. and 219 B.C.overran outlaw settlements in the NeretvaValley, captured Gentius (the last King ofIllyria), and curtailed the piracy that hadIntermountain InstaCareBecause Accidents Aren’t ScheduledIf you live in Iron County, it’s nice to know you cantake care of many urgent health needs at the nearbyIntermountain InstaCare. We offer walk-in servicefor urgent-care problems including sore throats,minor accidents, ear infections and more. Bothevenings and weekends, our physicians are happyto treat children as well as adults. The next time theunexpected happens, remember the IntermountainInstaCare in Cedar City. We’re here when you need us.HOURSMonday – Saturday9:00 a.m to 9:00 pmClosed Sunday HomeCookin’madeworthLOCATION962 Sage DriveCedar City, Utah 84720435.868.3440thatthe WestwinningThe physical location ofTwelfth Night in Illyria offerssome crucial clues to anattentive audience aboutthe dramatic world of thisbeloved comedy.Valley View Medical Centeris a not-for-profit hospitaloffering high-qualityhealthcare and the ability totreat patients with a widespectrum of needs.1303 North Main StreetCedar City, Utah 84720435.868.5000Midsummer Magazine 2007 • 11
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Midsummer Magazine 2007 - Utah Shakespearean Festival

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