For Judi Dench and a host of stars, there's no comedy quite like Shakespeare - the greatest comedy in history. The beloved play never fails to bring out their inner child, transporting them back to the magic of stage performances.
The latest tribute comes in the form of "The Twelfth Night Reunion", a one-off event that brings together an all-star cast to reminisce about their experiences with the iconic play. From Shakespeare's Globe to the Orange Tree in Richmond, London, the actors share their first encounters with the play and the lessons they learned from being part of its enchanting world.
Simon Callow vividly recalls John Barton's legendary 1969 RSC production, describing the "melancholy magic" that made Sir Toby come alive for him. Meanwhile, Dame Judi Dench reminisces about a famous comedic bit featuring Donald Sinden as Malvolio, who expertly manipulated time to get his sundial in sync with his pocket watch.
As the conversation unfolds, it becomes clear that each actor has a unique connection to the play. For Stephen Fry, it's Mark Rylance's masterful portrayal of Olivia that stands out, while Tam Williams compares the cast to a "Liverpool football team of the 1970s" - everyone working together seamlessly.
However, it's not just laughter that emerges from this gathering; there are also moments of heartbreak and vulnerability. When Judi Dench performs Viola's poignant soliloquy, her intensity brings out the sadness in the character's plight. It's a powerful reminder of the play's timeless themes and why it continues to captivate audiences today.
The film concludes with a moving moment when Stefan Bednarczyk gets the entire cast and audience to come together for the final lines of the play. As they sing those simple yet evocative words, "A great while ago the world began / With hey-ho, the wind and the rain," it's impossible not to be swept up in the emotional weight of Shakespeare's greatest comedy.
For these actors, The Twelfth Night Reunion is more than just a nostalgic trip back to their past performances. It's an opportunity to reconnect with the play that has brought them so much joy and challenged them as artists. And for fans of Shakespeare, it's a chance to experience the timeless magic of this greatest comedy in history all over again.
The latest tribute comes in the form of "The Twelfth Night Reunion", a one-off event that brings together an all-star cast to reminisce about their experiences with the iconic play. From Shakespeare's Globe to the Orange Tree in Richmond, London, the actors share their first encounters with the play and the lessons they learned from being part of its enchanting world.
Simon Callow vividly recalls John Barton's legendary 1969 RSC production, describing the "melancholy magic" that made Sir Toby come alive for him. Meanwhile, Dame Judi Dench reminisces about a famous comedic bit featuring Donald Sinden as Malvolio, who expertly manipulated time to get his sundial in sync with his pocket watch.
As the conversation unfolds, it becomes clear that each actor has a unique connection to the play. For Stephen Fry, it's Mark Rylance's masterful portrayal of Olivia that stands out, while Tam Williams compares the cast to a "Liverpool football team of the 1970s" - everyone working together seamlessly.
However, it's not just laughter that emerges from this gathering; there are also moments of heartbreak and vulnerability. When Judi Dench performs Viola's poignant soliloquy, her intensity brings out the sadness in the character's plight. It's a powerful reminder of the play's timeless themes and why it continues to captivate audiences today.
The film concludes with a moving moment when Stefan Bednarczyk gets the entire cast and audience to come together for the final lines of the play. As they sing those simple yet evocative words, "A great while ago the world began / With hey-ho, the wind and the rain," it's impossible not to be swept up in the emotional weight of Shakespeare's greatest comedy.
For these actors, The Twelfth Night Reunion is more than just a nostalgic trip back to their past performances. It's an opportunity to reconnect with the play that has brought them so much joy and challenged them as artists. And for fans of Shakespeare, it's a chance to experience the timeless magic of this greatest comedy in history all over again.
I'm totally living for this idea of an "all-star cast reunion" - like who wouldn't want to hang out with Judi Dench and Simon Callow on stage? And the fact that they're sharing their first encounters with The Twelfth Night is so cool, it's like getting a behind-the-scenes look at all the amazing performances that went into creating this iconic play 
And I love how Stephen Fry compares the cast to a Liverpool football team - that's like, the ultimate compliment right there 
I just watched The Twelfth Night Reunion and I'm still reeling from the emotions 
I love how they all came together to reminisce about their experiences with the play it's like you're right there in the room with them 
Can't wait to see more stuff like this from these legends 
, and Simon Callow's story about John Barton's RSC production is just legendary 
. What I love most though, is how it shows that even after all these years, the actors can still bring out their inner child #ComedyGold. It's not just about laughing with them, but also feeling the heartbreak and vulnerability in the play 
. The whole thing feels so nostalgic and intimate, like we're all part of some special club 
. Can't wait to see more things like this! 
just saw the cutest video of Judi Dench reminiscing about her time playing Viola in Twelfth Night and I'm totally here for it! 
The way she gets so emotional talking about her character's plight is just incredible. It's amazing to see these actors reconnecting with each other and the play that brought them together all those years ago. And can we talk about how beautiful Simon Callow's description of Sir Toby is? 
.
I'm not convinced this event is anything more than a PR stunt to get people to buy tickets and watch some old footage of them messing around on stage. Give me a break...
I mean, can you imagine Judi Dench singing "A great while ago the world began" with a bunch of old friends? It's like they're performing at their 50th birthday party and Shakespeare is the guest of honor 
! And Simon Callow recalling John Barton's 1969 production - talk about old-school, dude! 
But seriously, it's awesome to see these legendary actors coming together to celebrate one of the greatest comedies of all time. Maybe they can even convince me to watch it again 
... just kidding, I'm good on that one! 
, and Judi Dench's Viola soliloquy was pure magic 
. It's a reminder that Shakespeare's plays are more than just words on paper – they're living, breathing stories that can bring people together in the most beautiful way 
. And can we talk about how beautiful it is to see these legends coming together again? 
. It just goes to show that Shakespeare's comedies might be labeled as "comedy", but they're actually so much more complex and multifaceted than that... it's almost like a reflection of our own human experiences, you know? 
also love how they're highlighting the timeless themes of the play, still so relevant today 
.
Like, shouldn't we just watch the play and enjoy it or something? But then again, it's actually kinda awesome that so many talented actors are coming together to share their experiences, even if it is a bit cheesy... 