A trip to Maynardville, 12th Night

Most of you will have heard about the play that ISCT is putting forward for the Shakespeare Schools Festival 2026: 12th Night. And, on Tuesday the 10th of February, quite a few of our students went to go and see the production at the Maynardville Open Air Theatre.

The performance began with Duke Orsino moaning about his passionate love for the Countess Olivia, which was unreturned. After dragging himself off the stage, Viola, the shipwrecked twin sister of Sebastian who believes her brother to be drowned, comes on with the captain of her ship. He dresses her as a man, and she becomes Cesario, servant of Orsino. However, while working for the duke to win over the heart of Olivia, she falls in love with him. And Olivia, the countess in mourning for her dead brother, in turn falls in love with Viola as Cesario!

With a few comedic twists along the way, the story has a happy ending. Viola and Sebastian are reunited, Olivia, believing Sebastian is Cesario, marries him, and Viola reveals to Orsino that she’s really a woman, and the two get married as well. 

It was a brilliant performance, and I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t yet seen it, and even to those who have already. After all, ‘If music be the food of love, play on!’

– Anonymous