In a world where the rule is to make huge efforts to attain an “effortless, relaxed” look, the new show at the recently renovated Delacorte Theatre in Central Park – Twelfth Night – is a true achievement: its cast of stars and rising talent manages to create a good vibe with seemingly effortless ease.
Not even the rain could dampen the good vibes. The night I attended, a heavy downpour and thunderstorm swept across the beautiful park, delaying the start of the performance — but no one seemed bothered. The delay was simply due to the crew’s efforts to clean and dry the stage and seats, ensuring every spectator enjoyed the experience — and they clearly did.
The beloved Shakespeare in the Park program, created by the Public Theater’s first director, Joe Papp, made a triumphant return after an 18-month hiatus, while keeping its promise intact: Free. For all. Forever. New Yorkers from every borough can get free tickets through citywide lotteries or by lining up in the park. The program’s popularity is evident in the long queues that form daily — some people arriving as early as 4:30 in the morning, before the park even opens.
There’s something deeply moving about this democratic vision at the heart of Shakespeare in the Park, and the warm response from the very community it serves. Joe Papp was right all along: people need and want culture — it’s just that some simply lack the means to access it. That is what makes this program not only inspiring, but necessary.
The new iteration of Twelfth Night reflects the enduring mission of Shakespeare in the Park — and the Public Theater more broadly — to embrace inclusivity and celebrate the diversity that defines New York City. Director Saheem Ali, originally from Kenya, casts fellow Kenyans Lupita and Junior Nyong’o as the play’s famous twins. Their presence is underscored by moments in which select lines are translated into Swahili. The language blends seamlessly into the fabric of the production, lending it a poetic, almost mysterious resonance. The audience misses nothing of the meaning, as these Swahili fragments are woven into emotionally charged moments where body language speaks volumes. The performances are as strong as one could hope for — not only from the stars, but also from emerging talents whose energy bursts from the ensemble and occasionally takes center stage.
While audiences know Academy Award–winner Lupita Nyong’o, Golden Globe Award–winner Sandra Oh, and Emmy Award–winner Peter Dinklage from their screen work, it is a rare privilege to witness the depth and vitality they bring to the stage. Lupita Nyong’o’s Viola is a vivid presence — grieving her brother yet determined to forge ahead in service to her master Orsino and in pursuit of love. Sandra Oh and Peter Dinklage, as Olivia and Malvolio, draw on their experience to step back from their roles at times, offering subtle, Brechtian winks to the audience. Their playful engagement with Shakespeare’s beloved characters is a gift to this production, as is the sharp comic timing of John Ellison Conlee (Sir Toby) and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Sir Andrew). Moses Sumney makes a striking theatrical debut as Feste, the clown whose quiet melancholy provides a poignant counterpoint to the boisterous revelry.
Twelfth Night at the Public Theatre. Photo Joan Marcus.
Though the accent falls on comedy — with its usual mix-ups and tangled love stories — the production carries a subtle political manifesto. It’s there in the interweaving of Swahili with the revered language of the Bard, and in the pointed echoes of the immigrant and refugee experience: after all, the twins arrive by boat, stripped of everything in a shipwreck, like countless refugees worldwide.
Diversity here is no mere slogan. The cast includes actors of every color and gender, alongside non-binary performers and a person with dwarfism. What You Will — the play’s subtitle — blazes in capital letters across the stage, a fixed anchor in a constantly shifting set of modular pieces that rise from beneath the stage and vanish again just as swiftly.
The finale — the double wedding of the twins with Olivia and Orsino — bursts open the theme of gender fluidity in a dazzling runway-style parade. Obie and Lucille Lortel Award–winner Oana Botez’s genderless, vividly colored, utterly glamorous costumes turn the stage into a celebration of love in all its forms, delivered with infectious panache. The audience’s ovation made clear how deeply it landed.
Ali’s staging balances big-name allure with ensemble vitality, delivering a Twelfth Night that feels both timeless and unmistakably of New York. It is also a bold statement in a moment when U.S. immigration policies grow harsher and even the notion of gender fluidity is under attack — a backlash New York still resists with fierce pride.
This post was written by the author in their personal capacity.The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of The Theatre Times, their staff or collaborators.
This post was written by Cristina Modreanu.
The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.
