This is one of the best of the BBC's productions, with fine performances all around. The production succeeds in conveying the melancholy aspects of the play as well as its many comic elements. (Although Trevor Peacock has only a moderately good singing voice, its plangency is perfectly suited to the rather dark songs that Feste intones.) I'll register only two minor complaints. First, there are a few inappositely articulated lines. For example, Robert Lindsay inaptly utters an exclamation as a question in III.iv.133, and Alec McCowen at III.iv.35-6 incorrectly addresses a riposte to Olivia that should have been addressed to Maria. Second, quite a few of Feste's lines have been excised. Some of the deletions are well-judged, but most of them (especially in III.i and V.i) are regrettable. Still, these two small points of dissatisfaction detract very little from my enjoyment of an excellent rendering of this play.
Alec McCowen is superbly well suited for the role of Malvolio, as he highlights the character's combination of comicalness, poignancy, and rebarbativeness. Robert Hardy is an outstanding Toby Belch, and Ronnie Stevens is equally good as Andrew Aguecheek. Trevor Peacock as Feste and Robert Lindsay as Fabian are splendid in their crucial supporting roles. As I've said above, my only regret about the performance by Peacock is that he was deprived of quite a few of his lines. Felicity Kendal lives up to one's expectations of her with a wonderful performance as Viola/Cesario, and Clive Arrindell (with whose work I have no other familiarity) is a fine Orsino. Everybody else in the cast likewise contributes admirably to this wonderful production.
Alec McCowen is superbly well suited for the role of Malvolio, as he highlights the character's combination of comicalness, poignancy, and rebarbativeness. Robert Hardy is an outstanding Toby Belch, and Ronnie Stevens is equally good as Andrew Aguecheek. Trevor Peacock as Feste and Robert Lindsay as Fabian are splendid in their crucial supporting roles. As I've said above, my only regret about the performance by Peacock is that he was deprived of quite a few of his lines. Felicity Kendal lives up to one's expectations of her with a wonderful performance as Viola/Cesario, and Clive Arrindell (with whose work I have no other familiarity) is a fine Orsino. Everybody else in the cast likewise contributes admirably to this wonderful production.