Shakespeare Electronic Conference, SHK 7.0817.  Tuesday, 12 November 1996.

(1)     From:   Adrian Kiernander <
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        Date:   Tuesday, 12 Nov 1996 13:38:53 +1100 (EST)
        Subj:   Re: SHK 7.0808  Re: Twelfth Night Cross Casting

(2)     From:   Jeff Myers <
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        Date:   Tuesday, 12 Nov 1996 02:45:06 GMT
        Subj:   Re: SHK 7.0808  Re: Twelfth Night Cross Casting


(1)----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Adrian Kiernander <
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Date:           Tuesday, 12 Nov 1996 13:38:53 +1100 (EST)
Subject: 7.0808  Re: Twelfth Night Cross Casting
Comment:        Re: SHK 7.0808  Re: Twelfth Night Cross Casting

Ariane Mnouchkine started work on an all-female 12N as part of her Shakespeare
cycle in the early 80s, partly to make better use of the women in the Theatre
du Soleil who were being under-utilised in the productions of Richard II and 1
Henry IV; but after relatively lengthy rehearsals she abandoned it because it
disrupted the significance of sexual difference in the script. She then recast
the play largely without any cross-gender casting, the one trace of the
previous attempt being Clementine Yelnik as a diminutive and rather androgynous
Sir Andrew.

Adrian Kiernander
Department of Theatre Studies
University of New England

(2)----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Jeff Myers <
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Date:           Tuesday, 12 Nov 1996 02:45:06 GMT
Subject: 7.0808  Re: Twelfth Night Cross Casting
Comment:        Re: SHK 7.0808  Re: Twelfth Night Cross Casting

About 20 years ago I saw a very modest production in which Sir Andrew was
played by a young woman.  It was a delightful production in general, which I
enjoyed very much.  I seem to have enjoyed plays much more then than I do now,
for this is the second production of that era that I've praised here in the
last few days.  In any event, the cross-casting was very illuminating in
Andrew's interaction with Viola.

Jeff Myers