A classically trained noble, Orsino has been Duke of Australia for as long as he can remember. He has enjoyed roles as diverse as sitting around moping about love, to getting really kind of fired up about it. Most recently, he’s been lucky enough to be featured pining after Countess Olivia. In the past, he’s been portrayed by a wide array of talented people, from BAFTA award winner Chiwetel Ejiofor*, to Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards nominee** Paul Rudd. Today it’s Sean. This is actually Orsino’s second time being portrayed by Sean, and that’s fine.

*Best Actor in a Leading Role, ’12 Years a Slave’

**Favourite Movie Actor, ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’

Kate is a Melbourne based actor who enjoys exploring new work that allows the audience to reflect on their own circumstances. Since completing her Bachelor of Arts, Acting (Federation University); her highlights include "Comedy of Errors" (Australian Shakespeare Company), "Mocha Is Not Coffee!" (Norbury Productions), and touring as a puppeteer with "Moon Sailors". 

Shwethadri Santhu has been passionately treading the boards since childhood, portraying a colorful array of characters in India and beyond. From brooding Dostoevskian anti-heroes to scheming Shakespearean villains, Shwethadri’s range is as vast as a Twelfth Night feast.

Recently seen as Borachio in Much Ado About Nothing with Mornington Peninsula Theatre Company, he now dons the chaotic boots of Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a knight with more ambition than wit.

Oh, witless knight, who aims to charm the court,

With words that trip, though earnest in their part.

A lover’s hope, in clumsy lines, falls short,

Yet steals the stage with his unguarded heart.

Greatness pursued with swagger and delight,

Though fools may stumble, laughter makes them bright.

Sir Andrew’s escapades prove that even the silliest of characters can bring a touch of poetry to the stage—intentionally or otherwise.

 Smiling is infectious,

            You catch it like the flu,

 When someone smiled at me today,

            I started smiling too.

            I passed around the corner,

            And someone saw me grin, 

            When he smiled I realised, 

            I’d passed it on to him.

            I thought about that smile, 

            Then realised it’s worth,

            A single smile just like mine, 

            Could travel round the earth.

            So if you feel a smile begin,

            Don’t leave it undetected,

            Let’s start an epidemic quick, 

            And get the world infected.

Not my words, Spike Milligan’s!!!!

Sue Rosenwax is a seasoned performer of theatre and film. Sue has won many awards including nominations for The Lyrebird Award. Some of her favourite roles in theatre are:

Kate Keller in “All My Sons “, Catherine Howard in “Four Queens Wait For Henry “and Brenda Hulse / Lady Cravenshire in “Calendar Girls “. 

And recently playing seven different characters in “My Brilliant Apocalypse “.

Film has been a great adventure for Sue having lead roles in over 50 films.

Belinda, a lead role in a feature film “Queen Evil ‘and many short films which have won multiple awards around the world in Film Festivals. You will also see Sue pop up in many Television Commercials. 

Sue has studied at The National Theatre, NIDA, Howard Fine Studios, Brave Studios and 16th Street.

I first directed Twelfth Night when I was the Artistic Director of The Royal George Theatre in London in the mid-nineties. It was an obvious choice to be the first Open-Air production for MPtc here at The Briars. We plan to put on one open-air show per year from now on, and we are already planning next year's production; no spoilers other than to say it is one of Shaky's finest, and it starts as a comedy up until one of the characters dies, then things take a darker turn. Do you know which one it is? Most people see it as a tragedy (which it undoubtedly is - but as always with the Shakester, there's much more to it than that)

We would love to take that show to other spaces around the Peninsula - anybody know a winery that might be suitable? Please let me know. 

"Twelfth Night," was first performed in 1602, is a masterclass in mistaken identities, unrequited love, and the whimsical interference of fate. Central to the plot is Viola, shipwrecked and separated from her twin brother Sebastian. To navigate this foreign land, she assumes the guise of a young man named Cesario and enters the service of Duke Orsino.

Orsino, blissfully unaware of Cesario's true identity, sends him to woo the fair Olivia on his behalf. However, Olivia falls for Cesario, setting a complicated love triangle into motion. Adding to the confusion is the arrival of Sebastian, whose uncanny resemblance to Cesario drives the narrative's comedic misunderstandings to delightful heights.

Shakespeare weaves a rich tapestry of secondary characters, from the wily Feste, a fool whose jests are laden with wisdom, to the pompous steward Malvolio, who dreams of grandeur. Themes of love, identity, and the fine line between madness and sanity are artfully explored, making "Twelfth Night" timeless.

Ultimately, the play celebrates love's unpredictable nature while delivering a joyful resolution that restores harmony, reminding audiences of the transformative power of love and laughter.