By Taylor Roeling | February 18, 2016

Aggies fight the war to end all wars — with the Bard

Actors at Utah State University are adding a different element to Shakespeare’s comedy, “Twelfth Night,” by presenting the play in the World War I era.

The cast of the show described this particular setting as a time that fits the necessary requirements of the plot line.

“The text will remain the same even though we are putting it in the World War I era,” said Justin Turpin, who plays the role of Feste. “It’s an interesting twist. The director wanted a time period where somebody noble could lose two men in her life in a justifiable way.”

Actress Lainey Woo, who plays a lady-in-waiting for the female character Olivia, also described this setting as historically fitting. This is due to the lack of women’s rights before and during World War I — similar to Shakespeare’s era.

“The period translates well because the women didn’t have the privileges we do today,” Woo said. “The main character actually has to go out and dress like a man after she loses her twin brother.”

The cast is also determined to break the stigma that Shakespeare is difficult to understand.

“The thing with Shakespeare is as long as you know what you’re saying, then the way you act and say the words will help the audience understand,” said Max Falls, who plays the role of Sebastian.

Stage manager Amber Larsen is the central communicator behind scenes. From watching rehearsals, her main advice to audiences is to not “be afraid of Shakespeare.”

Chris Wilson plays the role of Fabian and is the only non-theatre major in this production. As an English major, he said he enjoys Shakespeare and even described how understanding the multiple themes in the play contribute to its success.

“In this show Shakespeare is talking about why we sometimes act in a way other than just being ourselves,” Wilson said. “I think a big question of the plot is how to make someone believe what you want them to believe.”

The cast members hope the comedic tone will create an overall successful experience for their audience.

“They are going to have a blast,” Wilson said. “They will be exposing themselves to Shakespeare. Shakespeare is great to be read, but it’s something entirely different to see it played on a stage.”

Performances for “Twelfth Night” are from Feb. 29 to March 5 in the Morgan Theatre at the Chase Fine Arts Center.