Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Bristol Old Vic Theatre September – November 2018
The List (Scotland)
Green’s turn from stiff moustachioed reactionary, to preening rock star dandy, to broken man, is nothing short of devastating. His sweetness and endearing comic chops invests his character with a liveliness that goes beyond the puritanical stereotype that Shakespeare broadly mocks in the script.
Bouquets and Brickbats
But it’s the role of Malvolio that is the real gift to any actor. Is there a more heart-rending character in all of the bard’s canon? I suspect not. Christopher Green makes an absolute feast of the role, all buttoned-up and controlled in his earlier manifestation, and then quite spectacular when transported by the power of love. The moment when he prances onstage in yellow cross-gartered stockings and (quite literally) lets his hair down is perhaps the production’s most memorable moment, one that earns an ovation all of its own.
The Times
Christopher Green is very funny as Malvolio, at one point showing off his booty in a yellow PVC cat suit.
Just For Culture
Green’s transformation from pompous steward to a character who wouldn’t have been out of place on RuPaul’s Drag Race is something that will stick with you – we guarantee – for all the right reasons…..Malvolio’s big reveal – no spoilers – brought literal gasps and cries of laughter from the crowd, and when Green came out at that moment, I couldn’t help but think to myself “I think Shakespeare himself would enjoy this”. There seems little more that needs to be said than that.
The Stage
Christopher Green’s Malvolio is an uptight bowler-hatted clerk with an outrageous drag queen hidden in his closet. The gulling of Malvolio, now becomes not an extreme (and somehow pointless) piece of sport, but one end of a spectrum of relationships based on false hope.
Edinburgh 49
Christopher Green has taken on (and created) many parts but this is probably his largest codpiece to date. He is also a fine singer.
The Guardian
With 50/50 gender-split casting, this comedy of disguise and identity enjoys a playful makeover. .. How else to explain a bowler-hatted city gent such as Christopher Green’s Malvolio transforming into a long-haired rock god?
The Scotsman
Christopher Green has powerful moments as the puritanical steward Malvolio.…composer and musician Meilyr Jones floats the stage in a drifty rainbow gown, helping to deliver a score that ranges from beautiful, trippy versions of the play’s magical songs to a glam-rock number for the transformed Malvolio so excruciating, in its cross-gartered agony, that it’s genuinely hard to watch.
Across The Arts
Christopher Green’s Malvolio is sterner than usual but still afforded brilliant moments, particularly in his character’s second half downfall.
Scottish Stage
…a spectacularly hilarious, yet moving, performance by Christopher Green.
What’s On Stage:
I really enjoyed Christopher Green’s Malvolio, milking the character’s comic pomposity but also finding humanity in his suffering, and it’s to the production’s credit that it doesn’t shy away from the darkness at the heart of Malvolio’s treatment.
The Arts Desk
The arrival of Malvolio (a pernickety, preening, bowler-hatted Christopher Green) in extravagant yellow bondage stockings – plus outrageous codpiece – is a nicely comic setpiece
Edinburgh Festival
Malvolio’s entrance, costume, and musical start to the second half of the evening is truly show-stopping. The transformation from the repressed, pompous character played by Christopher Green into a strutting, camp peacock is just remarkable.
UK Theatre Network
Another stand-out performance is that of Christopher Green as Malvolio, as pent-up and puritanical as you can get but, oh, how he lets himself go for love, making a complete fool of himself and providing the audience with the funniest of scenes – a great piece of character acting.
The Skinny
Christopher Green as the at-first smart-suited Malvolio has the audience in stitches as he sasses his way around the stage in yellow lycra, following a trick which makes him believe Lady Olivia has affections for him.
All Edinburgh Theatre
The creator of Ida Barr and Tina C can always be relied upon for an unusual characterisation, and his ‘cross-gartered’ incarnation – a bizarre lovechild of Tim Minchin and Basil Fawlty – has to be seen to be believed.
The Reviews Hub
Christopher Green, noted experimental performer, may position Malvolio in what may seem the customary male role. Though Act 2 delivers a fresh triumphant level. … A rousing success delivering rambunctious debauchery and yellow stockings to all.
The Student Newspaper
Malvolio’s custom-made yellow platform heels perform a dance which Shakespeare himself could not fail to appreciate, coupled with his ‘letter song’ this would be a very hard scene indeed to top, a testament to the impressive performance of Christopher Green.
The Fountain
The cast is mostly strong, but features some particularly remarkable performances. Christopher Green’s Malvolio provides one of the maddest scenes of all, as he emerges clad in a Rocky Horror Show style getup and belts out a funky serenade to Olivia
Southside Advertiser Edinburgh
Along the way we encounter some interesting re-imaginings of well-known characters, and Christopher Green was so obviously having so much fun with his transformative Malvolio.
The Wee Review
The piece’s other butt-of-all-jokes, Malvolio, is given a zesty lease of life by Christopher Green’s uppity arrogance and Ana Inés Jabares-Pita’s racy costume design. .. It’s to the production’s credit that it doesn’t overlook Malvolio’s humanity in his humiliation, giving the play a level of gravitas.
Visit Bristol
Malvolio’s Beyonce-inspired wind-in-the-hair moment complete with yellow stockings and cross garters (really, that happened!), played by Christopher Green. The boundless talent of the cast was mesmerising as Wilson took the most famous line from the play (‘If music be the food of love, play on’) and really thrust it to the fore – with a gold, spangly crotch. (You’ll have to go see it to get that last line.)
Broadway World
Christopher Green’s magnificent Malvolio thrusts greatness upon us with a glam rock performance in his cross-garters.
British Theatre Guide
Christopher Green portrays Malvolio as a bowler-hatted, tightly buttoned bureaucrat whose transformation into a yellow-stockinged rock icon takes the concept of cross-gartering to new extremes. Yet, for all his outrageous posturing, Malvolio’s heartfelt suffering at the hands of those who trick him lends sympathy for a man who will always be out of step, casting his deceivers in a cruel light.
The Fine Times Recorder
Christopher Green, perhaps best known as Tina C and Ida Barr, is a uniquely marvellous Malvolio
Mature Times
Malvolio is a bowler hatted straight laced gent, magnificently played by Christopher Green. His transformation into a long-haired prog-rocker is probably the most hilarious scene in the play. No spoilers here but think Rocky Horror Show meets Shakespeare. I for one won’t think of yellow stockings (not to mention cross hatch garters) in the same way again.
Reviews Gate
Christopher Green is the suited and bowler-hatted Malvolio. Pernickety, irritating and humourless. This is a lovely part given an excellent performance.
The Bristol Mag
Christopher Green’s outraged/outrageous cockney gent – “there was never a man so notoriously abused” – is particularly deserving of praise