Twelfth Night - William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night

by William Shakespeare

A storm has caused a terrible shipwreck off the Illyrian coast. Two siblings, Viola and her brother Sebastian, become separated, each believing the other has drowned. Viola washes ashore and meets a friendly sea captain who offers to help her find work for Duke Orsino-but first she must disguise herself as a man named Cesario.There is news that Duke Orsino is planning to propose to Countess Olivia. As Viola, disguised as Cesario, meets them both, a love triangle quickly forms. Shakespeare's ability to weave love, confusion, mistaken identities, and joyful discovery shines through in this timeless romantic comedy.

Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601-1602 as a Twelfth Night entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola (disguised as a page named 'Cesario') falls in love with the Duke Orsino, who in turn is in love with Countess Olivia. Upon meeting Viola, Countess Olivia falls in love with her, thinking she is a man.

The play expanded on the musical interludes and riotous disorder expected of the occasion, with plot elements drawn from Barnabe Rich's short story "Of Apollonius and Silla", based on a story by Matteo Bandello. The first documented public performance was on 2 February 1602, at Candlemas, the formal end of the Christmastide-Epiphanytide season in the Christian liturgical year's calendar. The play was not published until its inclusion in the 1623 First Folio.