Overview

A storm at sea sweeps Viola and her twin brother Sebastian onto the shores of Illyria. With Sebastian missing, Viola decides that surviving in a foreign land means disguising herself as a man and entering the service of Duke Orsino. The Duke sends her as his messenger of love to the object of his desire, Countess Olivia – a mission that proves impossible for Viola, who has fallen for the Duke herself. Olivia, for her part, falls for Viola in her male disguise. With brilliant sleight of hand, Shakespeare spins a dizzying comedy in which the line between fantasy and reality dissolves completely. Only the surprise appearance of Sebastian – the long-lost twin – unravels the tangle of relationships and delivers one of the most beautiful endings in world theater.