SHAKESPEARE in the Square returned to Crediton with gusto last week.

In a raucous and joyful production, Crediton Arts Centre, in association with Cider with Jonesy, gave us all a marvellous night to remember. 

The 25-strong cast of volunteer actors showed Crediton what fun Shakespeare can be.

Imogen May played a strong but vulnerable Viola as she switched between being a sister castaway in a foreign land (found by the medic, played by Paul Walker), to serving Orsino (Mike Felstead) as a young boy.

Great laughs came from the riotous band of Toby Belch (Juliet Heddon, Dave Hill and Bracken Jelier), in full punk gear arriving on stage in a pink wheelbarrow! 

Alongside Fabian (Stu Wight) they gibed and harassed Andrew Aguecheek (Dan Hamilton) outrageously, driving him to a wonderful fight scene with Sebastian (Joe McLoughlin).

Tom Blaen was a devoted Antonio, roundly ignored by the object of his affection! Orsino was flanked by two rough types (Christine Duff and Kate Lock), who menanced beautifully!

Toby Belch drank and swore their way across the set, outranging the calm presence of Rachel Hiland as Olivia (admirably supported by her two flunkies, Bridget Merrett and Tracy Wills).

Marnie Pyne, as Maria, tried to both calm the Tobies and whip them up, with great skill. Gillie Stoneham gave a strong performance as the much-maligned Malvolia, stunning the audience in her entrance with cross-gartered yellow stockings.

Feste was played by the wonderful double act of Clifford Bader and Philip Robinson, who sang beautifully at several points during the play. 

The real genius of Rachel Vowles, who directed the show, was the addition of a set of “stewards” (Laura Conyngham, Jenny Start, Pat Laver, Eddie Holden, Jane Welsh and Tina Guthrie) who helped the audience navigate the complicated and switching plot with ease and humour, so that we all kept up and could join in the laughter as the identical twins were finally revealed. Of course they did not look identical – as the Stewards said - “this is Crediton”! 

Even a very wet Friday night did not dampen a Crediton audience. They loved the show, posting some great comments: 

“one of the best Shakespeares I have ever seen!”

“absolutely brilliant, loved it. Really worked to have a female Malvolia. So good to have stewards helping children to access the story. Hats off to the director - she really pulled it off”.

The set was designed by the talented Nick Scott, complete with bunting, flags and general glitter, befitting the setting in a music festival, ably matched with the wonderful costumes by Laura Jones of the Makers Boutique in town.

The excellent music lifted the performance, under the able hand of Philip Robinson as Musical Director. A team of over 50 volunteers helped bring the show to life – set making, costumes, stewarding and so on. 

The show was very much a tribute to the twin talents of Rod Brookes Hocking and Peter Hamilton who many in the town will remember for the previous 30 years of Shakespeares in the Square. They sadly died two years ago, within weeks of each other. However, sad we are at their passing, this was a fantastic way to remember their legacy. 

As one audience member said: “Last night’s performance of Twelfth Night in Crediton’s Square was a cracker. Funny, full of incomprehensible Shakespeare misrule wit, great set, the cast were excellent AND having a great time, as were we. Peter and Rod’s exuberant spirit wasn’t far away, it was lovely to watch the wheeling swifts and jackdaws and sense their presence strongly. What a legacy. Thank you Cider with Jonesy and all involved for bringing us Shakespeare in the Square.”