As a rather hard line traditionalist I tend to hate modern adaptations of Shakespeare but in this lovely 2003 TV adaptation of the 12th Night I forgot the modern jetsam and got lost in the play. The explanation of the modern context I found irrelevant but once Parminder Nagra came on the scene I was entranced. Once again Shakespeare shows his absolute timelessness, where, whatever the dress, furniture, architecture and scenery his brilliant lines taken up with sensitivity and skill still have the power to move you to tears again and again. Even though the 1996 adaptation with Imogen Stubbs was quite brilliantly acted it pales before gentle sincerity of emotion shown by Nagra. Probably not a performance for the uninitiated but for a Shakespeareophile pure bliss.

Despite having seen several successfully modern re-tellings of Shakespeare's work, this one caught me off guard. This version of "Twelfth Night" is absolutely smashing. The casting choices were excellent, and the players were most believable in their roles.For me, the highlight was when Feste sings "O Mistress Mine". I remember memorising this piece as a lad, and I confess that I could not think of it other than as a "period" piece. However, the song becomes completely modern and almost has a pop feel to it as Zubin Varla sings it while accompanying himself on the guitar.This version is very funny at several parts (think Malvolio) including some bits that would probably slip right past some directors (think Feste's reading of Malvolio's note). However, there is a very serious underlying atmosphere.

I have always liked Shakespeare's Twelfth Night - it's my favourite play. As such, I have seen many versions of it, both on film and in the theatre. With a play as old as Shakespeare's are, that's performed as much as this one is, it's difficult to get an adaptation that's new. I think this version managed to do that without taking it so far out of context that it didn't make any sense. I really enjoyed this version, as it was completely different to any I've ever seen before. I thought the leading cast members were all very good, especially Parminder Nagra who plays Viola. I loved the setting and agree with the decision to leave the Shakespearean language, as I think modernising language in Shakespeare never works - I have never seen one that does. The language is as much a part of the play as the plot. Overall, I don't think it was quite as good as the 1996 film directed by Trevor Nunn, but that's setting an impossible standard.

A made-for-TV adaptation of William Shakespeare's play. Set in modern times with a multi-cultural theme, this is a rather sombre production of one of Shakespeare's comedies, bringing out the darker rather than the comic side of the characters. Sebastian and Viola are portrayed as asylum seekers, ship-wrecked and washed ashore on foreign island, each assuming that the other has drowned. Since they are identical twins, when Viola decides to pose as a man in order to find work it leads to all kinds of confusion including a love triangle involving the dignitaries of the land. Meanwhile amongst the servants and lower orders there is other mischief at work.