Royal Shakespeare theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Shakespeare’s fleet-footed romance is somewhat constrained by Prasanna Puwanarajah’s direction, yet there are memorable moments

Life and death; joy and sorrow, riches and poverty – Shakespeare’s comedy plays on opposites associated with the feast for which it is named. At Twelfth Night, kings do reverence to a carpenter’s child, born to suffer, die and rise again. Like Nick Park, creator of Wallace and Gromit, Shakespeare knows how to cram contemporary cultural references into a popular entertainment, packing added pleasure for those who spot them, without clogging up the plot, however complicated.

Shipwrecked twins, Viola and Sebastian, each believes the other drowned. Stranded, penniless, Viola, dressed as a boy, is employed by Duke Orsino to woo Olivia, a lady mourning her own dead brother. Viola falls in love with Orsino; Olivia falls in love with disguised Viola. Members of Olivia’s household have other marriage plans for her, which the “boy”, Viola, threatens. Then Sebastian arrives. Cue confusions and resolutions: those who were thought dead are alive; lovers are united; fortunes – and order – restored.