The Octagon Theatre Bolton’s next production is Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
Directed by David Thacker the production will run from February 27 to March 22.
On March 15, David Thacker will be joined by Professor Richard Wilson, the Sir Peter Hall Professor of Shakespeare at Kingston University, London, for the Octagon’s Twelfth Night Investigate Day.
Professor Wilson is the world expert on the Lancashire Shakespeare and has published four books, numerous articles in academic journals, and is on the editorial board of the journal Shakespeare.
Some scholars believe William Shakespeare spent time in Lancashire, staying at both Hoghton Tower and Knowsley Hall during his formative years. These regional links have provided the inspiration for this production—a Lancashire comedy that explores the ‘upstairs, downstairs’ world of drunks in the kitchen, feisty in-between maids, foolish aristocrats, irreverent comics, lovesick young men and beautiful ladies in love.
Ten actors performing in Twelfth Night have been through-cast from the current production of Hobson’s Choice.
Natalie Grady will hang up her shoelaces after playing Maggie to play Olivia, the Countess of Illyria.
Taking on the role of Malvolio is Christopher Villiers who picked up the award for Best Supporting Actor at the 2012 Manchester Theatre Awards.