The gentle melancholy & lyrical atmosphere of Twelfth Night have long made the play a favourite with Shakespearian audiences. The plot revolves around mistaken identities & unrequited love but is further enlivened by a comic sub-plot of considerable accomplishment. In it Sir Toby Belch & his companion outwit the pretentious Malvolio who despite suffering their most outrageous & insulting practical jokes emerges as an almost noble figure.