I, Malvolio: A Tragic Clown

“Why are you laughing?” Inside the framework of an educational character study, Tim Crouch's I, Malvolio presents a heart-rending portrait of the nature of bullying. Gently confrontational, Crouch asks his audience to look at the relationship between laughter and cruelty and, I hope, sympathy.

Malvolio is the perfect character to tell this story and a perfect opportunity to open up a dialogue not only about Twelfth Night but about contemporary schoolyard issues. Crouch does not preach or presume to force any opinions on his audience, but he does ask a lot of questions, which is exactly what theatre should do.

Shakespeare's plays included high brow and low brow humour side by side in order to appeal to as many tastes as possible. Similarly Crouch textures a piece originally conceived as an educational tool for 11 year olds in a way that appeals to a variety of audiences. The depth of humanity Crouch brings to his work while still maintaining a light, comedic atmosphere is a delight to experience.

You don't need to be familiar with Twelfth Night to enjoy this character study, but if you do, Crouch peppers his monologue with text from the script, skillfully winding his rants around a central quote to provide context for young audiences. He also manages to include a clear overview of the complicated plot without disengaging from his main narrative. Crouch manages to update his jokes and references to appeal to a contemporary crowd while keeping his Malvolio well within the bounds of the character we know from Shakespeare's text.

I, Malvolio could be performed equally successfully in a smokey late night fringe venue or in a school hall full of restless preteens. You'll laugh, you might cry, you'll examine the motivations behind your behaviour and you might even learn something while you're about it.