I just saw Twelfth Night at the Delacorte the other night -- and it didn't sound like Anne Hathaway had made up her mind about the meaning of the line. She's a very good actress with prodigious technique, don't get me wrong; her characterization of Viola was well-drawn, she spoke the language beautifully (and sang beautifully as well!) and, of course, she was a pleasure to watch. But there was something about her performance that felt coached and studied and very, very rehearsed, to the point that when anything requiring spontaneity or a more nimble energy level was required -- like the horseplay with Sirs Toby and Andrew, or when she had to fight the sound of a hovering helicopter during one of her most beautiful speeches (She never told her love...) -- she became forced and dutiful and grim, and seemed out of sync with the other actors on stage. I applaud her for working so diligently, but as an audience member I wish she made it seem less like work.

As for that line -- there's nothing to give away. She definitely timed and delivered the line as if it were a huge laugh line, which usually works to deliver a sufficient amount of laughter even if nobody has any idea why it's supposed to be funny. (It also helps to be a beautiful movie star.) But whether anybody was thinking about pubic hair, or Viola's crush on Orsino, or gender issues in general, who knows.

Sullivan directed the play as if it were a pastoral -- the vibe seemed very relaxed. It's an approach that's usually reserved for As You Like It or Merry Wives of Windsor. Twelfth Night is generally thought of as a bit edgier than those plays, but the edges were decidedly smoothed over here. It seemed very 1970s - a kind of ambling, leisurely happening suffused with live Celtic-tinged folk-rock music reminiscent of groups like Pentangle and Steeleye Span. I've seen several funnier, darker and more manic productions of this play, but this one was undeniably pleasurable and not un-thoughtful, and I'm glad I saw it.

In fact, I must say that in general this was one of the most consistently well-acted and well-cast productions I've ever seen at the Delacorte. There were no weak links, and everyone conveyed the language well. If this was Edelstien's doing then the Public is definitely going in the right direction, and I look forward to their future productions.