'Melancholy magic': how Judi Dench and a host of stars came under the spell of the greatest comedy in history

A galaxy of stars has come together to pay tribute to the greatest comedy in history, William Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night'. In a heartwarming reunion, Judi Dench, Simon Callow, Stephen Fry, and others share their unforgettable experiences with the iconic play. Hosted by Gyles Brandreth, these actors reminisce about their first encounters with the play, their most memorable roles, and the challenges they faced bringing it to life.

As Callow reveals that his portrayal of Sir Toby Belch was a formative experience for him, Dench vividly describes a comedic scene from John Barton's legendary 1969 RSC production. In this rendition of 'Twelfth Night', Viola is played by Dench and Malvolio is brought to life by Donald Sinden in an amusing garden scene where Sinden expertly solves the problem of his sundial being out of sync.

Stephen Fry, who has played Malvolio at Shakespeare's Globe and on Broadway, pays tribute to Mark Rylance's remarkable performance as Olivia. However, even Fry concedes that he found the scene where Malvolio is imprisoned impossible to learn. The film also features a hilarious anecdote from Robert Lindsay about his experiences with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

As the cast and audience join together in singing the final lines of 'Twelfth Night', it becomes clear that this play continues to captivate audiences today. With its timeless themes, memorable characters, and enduring performances, it's little wonder that 'Twelfth Night' remains one of the greatest comedies ever written. The reunion serves as a poignant reminder of the power of theatre to bring people together and transcend time.

The film is now available on YouTube, offering an exclusive glimpse into the lives of some of Britain's most accomplished actors and their experiences with this beloved play. So, if you haven't already, do take a moment to watch 'The Twelfth Night Reunion' and discover why Shakespeare's greatest comedy continues to enchant audiences today.
 
Omg I'm so excited about this new video on YouTube! It's like getting a behind-the-scenes look at these legendary actors sharing their favorite memories from performing "Twelfth Night". I mean, can you imagine being part of such an iconic play? Judi Dench's stories had me laughing out loud 🀣 and Stephen Fry's anecdotes about playing Malvolio were just priceless πŸ˜‚. But what really struck me was how this reunion showed that even though the cast members are all super accomplished now, they're still so humble and grateful for their experiences in "Twelfth Night". It's a beautiful reminder of how theatre has the power to bring people together and make us laugh 🎭❀️. I'm totally going to watch it ASAP!
 
I think its so cool that Judi Dench & Simon Callow are reminiscing about their first experiences with Twelfth Night 🀩, its like they're sharing this amazing memory with us all again... I mean, who wouldn't want to hear about the challenges they faced bringing it to life on stage? 🎭 But what really got me was Stephen Fry's part - he talks about how hard it was for him to learn that one scene where Malvolio is imprisoned πŸ˜‚, but at the same time its amazing that we get to see such a talented cast come together like this... The way they all sing those final lines together at the end gives me chills 🌟, its just so beautiful how theatre can bring people together and make us feel something deep in our hearts πŸ’–
 
🌟 I'm so down for any reunion that brings together people who share the same passion for theatre like this! It's beautiful to see how 'Twelfth Night' still has the power to bring people together all these years later. The way the actors are all sharing their stories and experiences from playing the iconic roles is just so captivating. I mean, can you imagine getting to play a character as iconic as Sir Toby Belch or Malvolio? It's like they're all living the dream! 🎭 But what I think really gets me is how 'Twelfth Night' has these timeless themes that still resonate today. It's just so inspiring to see how this play can transcend time and bring people together like this. Definitely gonna have to check out this reunion on YouTube, it looks amazing! 😊
 
🀩 I loved watching this reunion, it was so heartwarming to see these incredible actors sharing their love for Twelfth Night! 🌟 I mean, Stephen Fry's enthusiasm is just infectious, and Judi Dench always brings a level of sophistication to anything she does. πŸ™ The way they reminisce about their experiences with the play is so relatable - who hasn't struggled to learn some Shakespearean lines, right? πŸ˜‚ It really made me appreciate how timeless this play is, and how it can bring people together across generations. I'm definitely going to check out the film on YouTube, sounds like a must-see! πŸ“Ί
 
I'm so glad they're giving these actors the spotlight πŸ™Œ. I mean, it's about time someone recognized their talents beyond just their notable roles. Judi Dench is, of course, an iconic figure in British theatre, and Simon Callow's Sir Toby Belch was a masterclass in comedic acting. But let's not forget that John Barton's 1969 RSC production set the bar for future adaptations - it's amazing how that influence still resonates today πŸ”₯.

And I'm loving the behind-the-scenes stories from Robert Lindsay about his experiences with the Royal Shakespeare Company 🀣. It's clear that these actors have a deep love and respect for the play, which is what makes their reunion so special. Plus, it's great to see Stephen Fry giving credit to Mark Rylance's performance as Olivia - even if he did struggle with the Malvolio scene πŸ˜‚.

I'm definitely watching this on YouTube ASAP πŸ‘€. I mean, who wouldn't want to see some of Britain's most talented actors share their Twelfth Night experiences? It's like getting a masterclass in acting and theatre history all rolled into one 🎬.
 
omg I'm literally crying watching this 🀧 I had no idea Judi Dench and Simon Callow were so close friends btw they always seemed like an iconic duo but now I get it πŸ˜‚ and Stephen Fry sharing about his struggles with Malvolio's scene was so relatable lol I've struggled with learning lines for my own school plays πŸ“š I wish Robert Lindsay talked more about his experiences with the RSC though πŸ€” I feel like I'm getting a glimpse into their personal lives which is just too much info 😳 but in a good way πŸ€— I'm definitely watching this reunion now and trying to learn as much as I can from them πŸ“šπŸ‘
 
😊 oh man i'm literally dying over here watching those oldies laugh together it's like they're having the best time reminiscing about their past experiences with twelfth night 🀣 i mean simon callow saying that playing sir toby belch was a formative experience for him is giving me all the feels ❀️ and judi dench's description of that comedic scene from john barton's production had me in stitches πŸ˜‚ meanwhile steven fry admitting he found the malvolio prison scene hard to learn is just too relatable πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ i love how they're all still having so much fun sharing their memories with us, it's like they're trying to bring laughter back into our lives πŸŽ‰
 
πŸ’‘ I love how these legendary actors are coming together to celebrate one of the greatest comedies in history! It's amazing to see them sharing their personal stories and experiences with William Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night'. 🌟 What I find really interesting is how this play still has the power to captivate audiences today, despite being written so many years ago. The themes of love, identity, and deception are timeless, and it's clear that the actors' passion for the play shines through in their performances. πŸ‘ The fact that you can now watch 'The Twelfth Night Reunion' on YouTube is a great way to experience some of these iconic moments, even if you're not a huge Shakespeare fan... or were never interested in theatre πŸ€”πŸŽ¬
 
I mean, who doesn't love a good reunion like this? It's like they're all sitting around the same table, swapping stories about their time with Twelfth Night 🍴🎭. I'm sure it was such a blast for them all, especially Judi Dench and Simon Callow - they've clearly got some amazing anecdotes to share πŸ˜‚. And that garden scene with Donald Sinden... wow, I'd love to see that on film! The way Stephen Fry talks about Mark Rylance's performance as Olivia is just so fascinating - I can imagine he must have been blown away by it 🀯. What I find really beautiful about this reunion is how it shows us the power of theatre to bring people together, even years later πŸ’–. It's like they're saying, "Hey, we may be different ages and come from different backgrounds, but when it comes to Shakespeare, we're all on the same page." 🌟
 
🌟 I just watched that reunion special and it really made me appreciate how timeless Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' is! I mean, who wouldn't want to see Judi Dench and Simon Callow geeking out over their favorite roles? πŸ˜‚ But what struck me most was how the cast kept sharing these hilarious stories about their own personal experiences with the play. Like, Stephen Fry's struggles to memorize a scene... I felt him! 🀣 It just goes to show that even though it's been centuries since 'Twelfth Night' was first performed, its impact and charm are still so strong. I'm definitely going to watch this film on YouTube and share my own favorite moments with others πŸ“ΉπŸ’¬
 
OMG, I am SO down for this!!! 🀩 I mean, can you imagine having the most iconic actors from different eras come together to talk about one of the most legendary plays EVER?! 😍 Judi Dench and Stephen Fry being part of it is giving me LIFE! πŸ’– And that scene with Donald Sinden's sundial mishap is GOLD πŸ’₯. I need to watch this ASAP, can't wait to see all the behind-the-scenes tea and laughter πŸ΅πŸ‘€
 
I'm low-key obsessed with seeing Judi Dench as Viola 🀩 - she's the OG Olivia and I think her energy in that role would've brought so much life to the character. And can we talk about Simon Callow's Sir Toby Belch? He's got this effortless charm that just draws you in πŸ˜‚. I love how they're all sharing their personal stories from when they first started performing 'Twelfth Night'. It's like getting a peek into their own personal archives of memories and experiences πŸ“š. And can't wait to check out the sundial scene with Donald Sinden - it sounds like pure comedic gold ⏰.
 
I'm so stoked to see all these legendary actors coming together to pay tribute to one of the greatest comedies ever written 🀣🎭. I mean, it's like they're saying "Twelfth Night" is more than just a play, it's a way of life πŸ’–. And can we talk about how amazing it is that Judi Dench and Simon Callow are in this thing? They're like the OG comedy duo πŸ€œπŸ€›. I love how Stephen Fry is being all humble about his Malvolio performances πŸ˜‚. The fact that they're all sharing their experiences and memories of playing these iconic roles just makes me want to watch it again (and again, and again) πŸ’ͺ. And who knew Robert Lindsay had such a funny story about the Royal Shakespeare Company? 🀣 This reunion is literally the best thing I've seen all year πŸ‘
 
Just watched this reunion thingy on YouTube and I gotta say, it was super heartwarming! The way those actors were reminiscing about their time in the play was so relatable... like when you're stuck in traffic and all of a sudden you remember that one time when your friend's car broke down πŸš—πŸ˜‚. Anyway, I loved how they showcased all the different adaptations of 'Twelfth Night' – it's crazy to think about how this play has been performed so many times over the years! Simon Callow's Sir Toby Belch was actually pretty hilarious πŸ˜‚. I might have to give it another look after watching this reunion thing 🎭
 
omg I'm so glad they're sharing their experiences with Twelfth Night 🀩 it sounds like such an amazing reunion! I love how Judi Dench is always so witty and charming 😊, and Simon Callow seems like a really down-to-earth guy. I also found it funny that Stephen Fry struggled to learn that one scene 🀣, who wouldn't? But seriously, it's great to see these legendary actors still passionate about Shakespeare's work after all these years πŸ’•
 
omg i just watched this 12th night reunion on youtube and i'm literally dying over stephen fry's malvolio moments πŸ˜‚πŸ€£ the way they all reminisce about their experiences playing these iconic characters is so heartwarming πŸ€— it's clear that this play still holds a special place in the hearts of these talented actors πŸ‘ and who can blame them? 12th night is literally one of my favorite plays ever and i love how the film celebrates its timeless themes and unforgettable performances 🌟🎭
 
Back
Top