The Public Theater

Julia Stiles made her New York Shakespeare Festival debut in this production.

Viola is shipwrecked on the shore of Illyria and, believing her twin brother to be dead, disguises herself as a boy and goes to work at the court of Count Orsino. Orsino is in love with a gentlewoman named Olivia, who will not accept his suit because she is in mourning. Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a rich but very silly friend of her drunken uncle Sir Toby Belch, is also courting Olivia. Viola, dressed as the boy Cesario, is sent by Orsino to woo Olivia, but Olivia falls in love with her instead. Viola's brother, Sebastian, also finds himself in Illyria, and he and his rescuer Antonio spilt up to look around the city. Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, Feste the clown and Olivia's servants Maria and Fabian play a joke on the insufferable Malvolio, who holds himself above the other servants. They trick him into believing that Olivia loves him, and use forged letters to make him behave strangely until he is finally locked up as a madman. Viola, who has fallen in love with Count Orsino, returns to Olivia's house to plead his cause. Sir Andrew challenges her to a duel for Olivia's love, but Antonio, who believes he is helping his friend Sebastian, stops them. Antonio is arrested by Orsino's men for a past crime and Viola flees. Later Olivia sees Sebastian and, assuming he is Cesario, asks him to marry her. Surprised, but pleased, he agrees. At Orsino's court confusion reigns as Antonio claims to that Viola/Cesario is really Sebastian whom he saved, and Olivia demands to know why her husband is behaving so oddly. Sebastian arrives and all is explained, including the cruel trick on Malvolio, who is freed from his cell. Sebastian promises to honor his marriage to Olivia, Orsino pledges to marry Viola and everyone departs happily, except Malvolio.