Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night is given a 1980s twist in Rushen Players’ latest production.

The classic tale of love triangles and mistaken identities is opened yesterday (Wednesday) at the Port Erin venue and continues nightly until Saturday.

Director Sarah Lockyer, brings her recent experience from the Canterbury Shakespeare Festival, to set the production in the 1980s, a decade of outrageous fashion and hairstyles.

‘Expect shell suits and mullets, Foreigner and Madness, with nods to 80s pop culture right the way through,’ she said.

She said the subtitle of the play, What You Will, encourages acting companies to interpret it in their own way.

Count Orsino (Stephen Blower) sets the tone at the start, pining for the unattainable Countess Olivia (Ailsa Harrop).

Viola (Robyn Hughes) central to all the action, transforms from maid to man but struggles to maintain the disguise while falling in love with her master.

Her twin Sebastian (Juan Bridson) is baffled at being recognised by complete strangers having been rescued and befriended by Antonio (Jack Verity) who adds some tension to the play, as there is a warrant out for his arrest.

Meanwhile, below stairs, Olivia’s maid Maria (Catie Angus), the drunken Sir Toby Belch (Jon Quillen), his sidekick Fabian (Louise Drinkwater) and the gullible Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Barnaby Lockyer) take comic revenge on the puritanical steward Malvolio, played with the utmost pomposity by Robert Clayton.

The Clown, Feste (Naomi Haworth) provides the songs, as well as plenty of witty commentary on the extraordinary goings on.

The play starts each night at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £10 for adults, £2 for under 18s. They are available online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/erinartscentre or call the box office on 835858.