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听听听Count confused by cross-dressing courtier
"If music be the food of love, play on"
Duke Orsino (pictured above, with "Cesario"), Act I, Scene I
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Top Illyrian nob Orsino has just had the surprise of his life after discovering that the newest gentleman at his court was hiding a big secret in his breeches!
Courtier Cesario, the Duke's right hand man, turned out to be a girl. Now the unlikely couple are to be married.
Cesario - actually named Viola - had arrived three months before, after a shipwreck in which she lost her twin brother Sebastian. Disguising herself as a boy, she took a job with Orsino - and quickly fell for the clueless Count.
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As if that weren't complicated enough, Orsino sent "Cesario" to woo his neighbour Olivia, on whom the Count had a massive crush. The bereaved beauty, who'd recently lost both her parents and a much-loved brother, had no time for the lusting lord.
Despite having many admirers - including her uncle Toby's friend, drippy knight Sir Andrew Aguecheek and her own steward - Malvolio, the stricken girl wasn't in the mood for love.
But Cesario's, ahem, boyish looks went
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 Viola
Plucky and quick-witted, Viola has a twin brother who looks very similar to her. Shipwrecked in Illyria, she disguised herself as a man, Cesario, to get work with Duke Orsino - but fell in love with her employer.
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 Olivia
With no family except for her uncle, Olivia determined to mourn her brother for seven years, despite being courted by Duke Orsino. Once she met Cesario though, she fell for "him" at once!
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 Orsino
A good and noble man, he had it bad for Olivia, even though she couldn't love him. When new courtier Cesario revealed himself to be Viola, and in love with him, the Duke soon realised where his true love lay.
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 Sir Toby Belch
Olivia's uncle Toby is a bit of rogue. Fond of late nights and wine, he enjoys a good prank. He keeps his daft friend Sir Andrew Aguecheek around - after all, someone's got to pay for the drinks!
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straight to her heart, and when the young lad suddenly agreed to marry her, she was overjoyed. What she didn't know was she'd actually married Sebastian, Viola's twin brother, who had also survived the shipwreck.
Confusion reigned when
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Duke Orsino and Cesario arrived at Olivia's house, but it quickly gave way to joy when brother and sister were re-united.
With one big secret out, Viola revealed her love for the Duke - and happily, he felt the same. Once he got over the shock, that is!
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What they said:
"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em"
Malvolio, Act II, Scene V
"Love sought is good, but giv'n unsought is better"
Olivia, Act III, Scene I
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