NETWORK THEATRE – UNTIL 7th JUNE 2025
Reviewed by Jackie Thornton
5*****
Who knew that tucked away beneath the railway arches of Waterloo Station lies a little gem of a community theatre bringing contemporary and classic works to the stage?
The Acting Gymnasium’s reimagining of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night as 1970s disco culture is a delight.
Adapted and directed by Gavin McAlinden, the bard’s well-known romantic comedy is given fresh life with shiny disco balls, a glittering Duke’s Bar backdrop and all the flairs, fluorescence and bling synonymous with the Saturday Night Fever era.
The cast of 14 bring a tremendous sense of fun and are already on stage, boogying to disco classics as the audience take their seats. Acting Gymnasium is a weekly acting workshop and proudly inclusive as witnessed in this current performance, which charms with its diversity, adding new cadences and rhythms to Shakespeare’s text.
Charles Worthington as Orsino oozes John Travolta vibes with his killer dance moves while Prilly Lee’s Olivia is a woman on a mission. Caitlin Plummer as Viola/Cesario artfully conveys the heartache of being torn between two identities while Tom Hilton is hilarious as her twin Sebastian, unable to believe his luck when Olivia makes a play for him. Helen Probert ’s Malvolio brings in the belly laughs and Lina’s Feste steals the show with her flirtatious, cheekiness and unforgettable vocals as she takes the lead in various disco hits which really elevate the show.
It’s not that often that you’ll find yourself tapping, clapping or humming along during a Shakespeare play and I challenge you not to leave the theatre without a spring in your step and a smile on your face. Fun, colourful and full of energy.