THESE ARE heady days in Scottish theatre as a clutch of new artistic directors takes up the reins of the country’s main producing houses, writes Joy Watters.

At Dundee Rep, the new joint regime of Dominic Hill and James Brining has this week raised the curtain on an intriguing four-production season.

Shakespeare’s romantic comedy—where true love doesn’t run smooth but travels along a labyrinthine path, threatening to disappear entirely—allows director Dominic Hill to show us what he and the new ensemble, some old faces, some new, are capable of.

There is an enchanting quality to this work from the moment the lights go up and the gauzy curtain pulls back to reveal a surreal setting of sand and isolated objects amid a dilapidated mansion.

It is fascinating and mystifying to look at, amplifying the work’s central themes of hidden love and bewilderment. Nothing is at it seems, particularly when it comes to emotions.

Twins Viola and Sebastian are separated by a storm at sea. Thrown up in Illyria, she pretends to be a man and ends up wooing on behalf of her lord Orsino. Viola, now known as Cesario, has also to disguise her growing love for Orsino.

He feels strangely drawn to her/him as does Olivia, the subject of the wooing.

Then there is the sub-plot, in which the upper-class drunkards, servants and clowns set about trying to match-make, drink, get money and put the strait-laced chamberlain Malvolio in his place—and which in this production is a rich seam of comedy.

Hill has drawn the best from his principals, such as ensemble newcomer Emily Pollett who surefootedly combines the right quantities of feistiness and femininity in her role as Viola/Cesario.

The scenes between her dressed as a boy and Orsino (Tom McGovern) when neither quite understands the emotions passing between them are particularly tender, especially when set against McGovern’s impassioned delivery of his lines like a Mafia boss reaching the end of his tether.

A particular strength of the piece is the amount of comedy lapping around, mainly thanks to John Bett as Sir Toby Belch and Robert Paterson as Sir Andrew Aguecheek—the former red-faced and full of vim and vino, the latter whey-faced and shivering like a whippet.

The pair simply work brilliantly together and draw humour from every syllable with Ann Louise Ross as Maria in great form, too, as one of the plotters.

John Buick is back with the ensemble as the grim-faced Malvolio, who certainly gets his comeuppance and a lot more, too. He plays it with an intensity that opens up that “Did Malvolio really deserve it?” debate.

Design, lighting, performances and direction combine to throw new light on the work, which runs until September 20.