Twelfth Night - Act 1 Scene 3

In this scene we are introduced to the comic center of Twelfth Night - Sir Toby Belch, Maria and Andrew Aguecheek.

Sir Toby - drunken, dissolute uncle to the Countess Olivia - spends his time partying and mooching off his niece, and anyone else he can charm into supporting him. The Countess Olivia and her household are in deep and somber mourning for the death of both her father and brother in short succession. Toby, however, is sure that "care is an enemy to life," and parties as hard as ever. He has found a very wealthy, very stupid and very gullible gentleman, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and is drinking his way through as much of his new friend's allowance as possible. He has convinced Andrew to stay with him and attempt to woo Olivia. The empty-headed Andrew looks up to Toby, is bewitched with the rogue's company, and is easily manipulated by him. Toby also enjoys flirting with the sharp-tongued and intelligent Maria (his niece Olivia's chambermaid), and tweaking his niece's head steward, the puritanical Malvolio. Maria has romantic feelings for Toby, but is hopelessly below his station, since she is only a servant, while Toby is a gentleman. Malvolio the steward absolutely hates the disruptive and disrespectful Toby. However, since he is still not "anything more than a steward" (the highest ranking servant of the household) he can do little more than complain to Olivia, and take out his anger on the servants below him.

Note: In Shakespeare's time, to have a dry hand implied stupidity or impotence. Andrew, however, does not get the joke, or Maria's insults.

Summary of scene: in this his first appearance, a loud and drunken Sir Toby returns very late at night to the Countess Olivia's. Maria tries to quiet him down, fearing he will anger Olivia, and Olivia's steward Malvolio. She also upbraids him for drinking too much, and for wasting his time with his idiotic new friend, Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Toby refuses to be quieted, flirts with Maria, and reveals his unsavory motive for spending time with Andrew (Andrew's money). When the excitable Andrew shows up, Toby decides to have a little fun with him. Toby sics Andrew on Maria, instructing him to "accost" her. The innocent Andrew is no match for either Maria or Toby. After being "put down" by Maria, Andrew briefly considers giving up his suit for Olivia's hand in marriage and going home before totally running out of money. Toby, however, quickly convinces him to stay and keep the party going.

Actors: Kate Hurster as Maria, Ian McCafferty as Sir Toby Belch, and Nick Suders as Sir Andrew Aguecheek.

This complete production of Twelfth Night was produced and directed by Emmy Miller and Jonah Cohen for the Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival, in the summer of 2005. Space, set and lighting were provided by PSF. Costumes are by Katherine Hafer.

Miller and Cohen have put up 15 Shakespearean productions with high school students at The Shipley School in the past six years, and have directed and produced at the professional level for Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival (Twelfth Night for Summer YPC 2005) and the Echolalia Theater Company.

jonahramucohen.com

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• Shakespeare
• Twelfth
• Night
• Toby
• Belch
• Maria
• Aguecheek
• McCafferty
• Hurster
• Suders
• Jonah
• Emmy
• Philadelphia
• Hafer
• drunk
• wench

[brownycrevice]

Ok, whats weird is that Sir Toby enters the scene all drunk and then by the time Sir Andrew enters Sir Toby is pretty much as sober as a judge. Not only that, they were rattling off their lines ten to the dozen, could'nt really make out what they were saying half of the time. Have seen way better productions than that piece of turd.

[jonahramu]

That's the point. While Toby is truly out of his skull in other scenes (Check out Act I scene V, where he barely follows what Olivia is saying to him, and responds in non-sequitors, as well as actually belching [a plague o these pickled herring]), in this scene he is endulging his drunkeness for the pure enjoyment of it and sobers up [I would say chillingly] to give Maria the real story on why he's hanging out with Andrew - to con him blind. .

[jonahramu]

He is sober enough to snap into total clarity in order to make his little pet monkey [andrew] dance for his enjoyment and to show off for Maria

[mellowjello4]

HAHAHAHHAHAHAH!

I played Sir Andrew!!

XD

XD

[HurricanePixie7]

God forbid, a director has a *different* "take" on Shakespeare! Oh, my- dear me! The important thing is that Shakespeare is still "alive and well" and being done, not that they're doing it your way alone, silly.

[mallyshmelly]

@mellowjello4 did you really.....??



[vanhalen0222]

I'm doing this play and this is one of the best versions i've seen. where can i find the rest of it??

[greg5566]

Wow, that wasn't very good. There's a clip on here of some high school kids doing this scene who milk more comedy out of it.

[jonahramu]

@flyingpiggehs. "Maria writ

The letter at Sir Toby's great importance;

In recompense whereof he hath married her."

I sure do hope they have ran off together, as it is about time for Toby to get his own place and stop mooching off the neice.

[flyingpiggehs]

@jonahramu Wasn't it that Sir Toby ran away with her?

[peanutsam12]

Im a 13 yr old girl and i have to play the part of maria in this scene. To add to that, another girl is playing the role of Sir Andrew. How embarissing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zaithok77]

hey every 1. im kj and i have the role of sir toby. i need help on the scene when feste sings his song and i start to sing after it. "three merry men, Tilly Tally..." how do i sing that part?