Twelfth Night at Ashton Court Mansion

The Oxford Rep Company brings Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night to the Ashton Court Mansion this October.

A play about the party, and what’s left when it ends. Set on a strange, seductive island that never quite sobers up, this production of Twelfth Night reimagines Illyria as the ruins of a once-glamorous celebration – a place where time blurs, emotions heighten, and nothing is quite as it seems.

Lit by purples and deep ocean blues, the island pulses with the memory of music, love, and loss. It’s beautiful, but it’s starting to rot. As grief crashes into desire, and disguise becomes dangerous, Shakespeare’s comedy reveals its darker heart.

Viola washes up not just on foreign shores, but in a world spinning on fantasy and denial. Orsino is addicted to the idea of love. Olivia is drunk on power and heartbreak. Malvolio is humiliated beyond repair. No one is really seen for who they are – until it’s too late.

This is not a glittering romance. This is a world where identity is fragile, power is performative, and cruelty is easily mistaken for fun. A place where music is always playing, but no one can remember the words. A Twelfth Night for anyone who’s ever loved the wrong person, laughed at the wrong moment, or stayed too long at a party they didn’t want to leave.

Twelfth Night is on at Ashton Court Mansion 02 – 03 October 2025

To book 02 October 2025: https://hdfst.uk/e136842
To book 03 October 2025: https://hdfst.uk/e136845