Twelfth Night is one of the most popular of Shakespeare's plays in the modern theatre, and this edition places particular emphasis on its theatrical qualities throughout. The introduction analyses the many views of love in the play, and the juxtaposition of happiness and melancholy used to dramatize them. The presentation of the text has been re-thought in theatrical terms, and the exceptionally full an detailed commentary pays close attention to the often difficult language. The play's contrastig moods are emphasized by the use of music, which plays an important role in Twelfth Night; James Walker has re-edited the existing music from the original sources, and where none exist has composed settings compatible in style with the surviving originals, so that this edition offers material for all the music required in a performance, the only modern edition to do so. The edition will be invaluable to actors, directors, and students at all levels.
In the modern theater, Twelfth Night is one of the most popular of Shakespeare's plays, and this edition places particular emphasis on its theatrical qualities in both the introduction and the full and detailed commentary. Where original music has not survived, James Walker has composed settings compatible with the surviving originals, freshly edited so that this edition, unique among modern editions, offers all the music required to perform the play. It will be invaluable to actors, directors, and students at all levels.
The commentary on Twelfth Night is alive with the editors' feeling for the play in performance.
