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The Synergy Theatre’s Travel Guide to Illyria

For our journey to Illyria, ladies & gentlemen, we advise that you bring something waterproof (can’t be too careful in this fickle Illyrian climate), something to sit on and, remember, it can get a little chilly of a summer’s evening. Please feel free to bring a picnic – Illyria really is the perfect location for some early evening alfresco dining.

Below us to the left we can see the shattered remains of a once proud vessel strewn along the rocky coast – a reminder that, even in idyllic Illyria, the forces of Nature sometimes wreak their havoc. It is generally believed that there were no survivors from this encounter between wood, canvas and rock but Illyrians are hardy souls and who knows what miraculous escapes from a watery fate there may have been!

Over here we see the ducal palace. Our current Duke is Orsino – a devilishly handsome man who is passionately in love with the Countess Olivia. Sadly, the Countess is still in mourning for her father and brother and refuses to have anything to do with the Duke, or men in general. The Countess lives in an equally glorious palace on the other side of the city. We’ll see more of her home later on during our tour.

News-wise, the biggest story at the moment is that Duke Orsino has got himself a new pageboy. No-one quite knows who he is or where he comes from but, by all accounts, he is a delightful young fellow and not at all bad looking. The latest gossip is all about how this new member of Orsino’s household was sent to the Countess Olivia’s with (yet another) love letter from the Duke Orsino and how – you’ll never believe this –the Countess fell in love with him on sight! It would be so good for her to find happiness, poor lady. She’s had a pretty terrible time of it lately.

The Countess has a very straight-laced steward who goes by the name of Malvolio. He doesn’t approve of parties, merriment or anything much – which, as you can imagine, doesn’t go down too well with the Countess’s uncle, Sir Toby Belch. Sir Toby is such good fun and likes a drink or two (or more...), and I have a feeling that he and Maria (that’s the Countess’s waiting woman) have something very naughty, but wickedly funny, up their sleeves to put that moody Malvolio in his place! I wouldn’t miss that for anything – Sir Toby has a wonderfully mischievous sense of humour!

Further trips to Illyria will run from Tuesday 20 – Saturday 24 July 2010, 7.30pm, at Southover Grange Gardens. Tickets may be ordered online (see Tickets) or bought from Lewes Tourist Information Office, the Synergy box office (01273 479497) or on the door.

David Parton
Artistic Director