Bard in the Botanics remains one of the most prominent Shakespeare-forward festivals in Scotland having performed 25 Summers in the beautiful Glasgow Botanic Gardens.
Their well-established reputation and years of experience are clear as they present us with a schedule of both Shakespearean works and more contemporary classics such as Jane Austen’s Emma.
Using the gardens to their advantage, there is both an open-air main stage, and a separate performance space within the Kibble Palace glasshouse.
This time around I saw Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at the main stage, directed by Jennifer Dick and it’s safe to say I would happily rush back to see it again.
This season of Bard in the Botanics is titled Lovers & Madmen and really is there a difference? Of course, Twelfth Night fits perfectly into this theme, being the perfect comedy of errors to highlight the lengths and toils of madness one will go to for a stab at love, as well as the triumphs that come when these mad acts are successful.
Set in the old Balkan region of Illyria, across the Adriatic Sea from Italy, our set reflects this. With the exterior of an old shuttered house acting as the main stage it’s amazing how this small piece of set brings Illyria to life. With levels, doorways, and sprawling ivy, the stage is built with efficiency and beauty in mind. It even gets a facelift during the interval, where bright colours are now painted on the once neutral walls, and flowers adorn the building. It truly looks like Summer.
While not an outlandishly complex adaptation of Twelfth Night, it certainly has a touch of Scottish charm, as well as the addition of some classic tunes that your dad might sing at karaoke. Just that was enough to breathe life into this production. Why they were singing U2 and the Blues Brothers specifically, I couldn’t tell you. But did it bring a tear to my eye? Absolutely. As the appointed jester, Feste (Lawrence Boothman) sings the majority of these songs. He was so excellent I really thought he was lip-syncing to begin with! Boothman excels in this role, bringing pure Glaswegian cheeky charm and a genuine earnestness to the stage. As well as playing Feste, Boothman also plays Viola’s brother Sebastian. The two characters are separated excellently, not only in accent, but in demeanour.
The comedic capabilities of the whole cast shone through with so many larger-than-life characters. Stephen Arden as Malvolio gave us a masterclass in Shakespeare, really humanising Malvolio which made for a nice change – I truly felt sorry for him when they locked him away – can a man not wear a yellow stocking anymore? Lauren Ellis-Steele was a fabulously melodramatic Olivia, producing laugh after laugh from the audience. And Star Penders thrives as the duncey Sir Andrew Aguecheek. I absolutely loved the mischievous quartet of Aguecheek, Feste, Sir Toby Belch (James Boal), and Maria (Tiare Hamilton). Their antics and chemistry as a group was a delight to watch. And of course Johnny Panchaud as Orsino and Antonio, and Rebecca Robin as Viola gave us some stability to cling on to amidst the others’ madness.
This production was just perfect for a Summer’s evening. It felt so natural and easygoing and despite the chaotic nature of the play, it was handled with expertise by Jennifer Dick. The little improvised side quips from the cast really humanised the production and highlighted exactly why no one is more suited to Shakespeare than the Scots.
While most of the audience brought their camping chairs from home, there are stools available to rent on request, but we were more than happy to sit on the grass and fully lounge out. This relaxed viewing is perfect for Shakespeare, giving it a much more accessible and welcoming energy that feels much less restrictive than a traditional theatre setting. One word of warning however – bring the midge spray!
Twelfth Night runs until the 11th of July 2026 and tickets can be found at https://www.bardinthebotanics.co.uk/productions
Reviewer: Jessie Martin
Reviewed: 30th June 2026
North West End UK Rating: