twelfth night

     

Twelfth Night is a comey by William Shakespeare, named after the Twelfth Night holiday of the Christmas season. It was written around 1601 and first published in the First Folio in 1623.

Trivia about twelfth night

  • The 1996 musical "Play On!" gets its title from the first line of this Shakespeare play, on which it is based
  • This play may have premiered a dozen days after Christmas, which would explain its title
  • In this comedy's subplot, Sir Toby Belch & Maria play a trick on Malvolio, Olivia's steward
  • As its title suggests, this Shakespeare comedy may have opened Jan. 6, 1601, a dozen evenings after Christmas
  • 1623:"What You Will"
  • A shipwreck separates twin siblings Viola & Sebastian in this comedy
  • "If music be the food of love, play on..."
  • The novel opens on Jan. 6, 1482, during the Feast of Fools & this post-Christmas festival
  • Duke Orsino:"If music be the food of love, play on"
  • When Viola disguises herself as a boy in this comedy, Olivia falls in love with her
  • Viola's crossdressing in this Shakespeare play ran afoul of a N.H. Prohibition of Alternative Lifestyle Act
  • Set in Harlem & featuring characters named Vy & Lady Liv, the musical "Play On!" is a revamp of this comedy
  • The first line of this comedy is "If music be the food of love, play on"
  • Helena Bonham Carter played Olivia in the 1996 film of this comedy subtitled "Or, What You Will"
  • Shakespeare:"What You Will"
  • Orsino: "O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first, methought she purged the air of pestilence"
  • Olivia,Viola,Sir Toby Belch
  • Sir Toby Belch & his friends trick Malvolio into acting crazy & getting sent to an asylum
  • Antonio claims he saved Sebastian from "the jaws of death" in this holiday-based comedy
  • Orsino, the Duke of Illyria, gets this play's immortal first line: "If music be the food of love, play on"
  • Also the title of a Shakespeare comedy, it's when the Magi arrived to adore the baby Jesus
  • "To my niece: I'll drink to her as long as there is a passage in my throat & drink in Illyria", says Sir Toby in this play
  • "If playing that lute will increase my chance of getting some action around here, play on!"
  • Some believe this comedy was written to be performed during Epiphany festivities, hence its name
  • Smetana's "Viola", with just 365 bars of music, is based on this play
  • This Shakespeare play title refers to Epiphany Eve
  • Christopher Heweit was a singing Malvolio in "Music Is", a musical version of this festive comedy